Our intensive three-day, CPD accredited training course equips frontline workers with the skill, knowledge and resources to facilitate transformational group work using Rock Pool’s nationally recognised Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit. Incorporating these toolkits into your practice, will enhance your support to domestic abuse survivors, helping them navigate the path from trauma to recovery.
“The impact of domestic violence has been thought to have psychological parallels with the trauma of being taken hostage and subjected to torture." (Dutton, 1992; Herman, 2001)” (Howard et al., 2010:527)
The first of the Toolkits developed by Sue Penna, Rock Pool’s Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit is a ground-breaking, trauma-informed group intervention whose underlying methodology is rooted in trauma-informed practice. The toolkit has been proven to help individuals address the lasting impact of domestic abuse, can stop people moving on with their lives and leave them with low self-esteem, relational difficulties and often feelings of guilt and self-blame.
Initially co-developed with refuge residents in 2006, our toolkits have since been used by an estimated 1,500 trained facilitators.
Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit Overview
The Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit enables facilitators to provide group members with the knowledge that helps them to understand, better manage, and change their experience of living with the trauma responses caused by domestic abuse. It also helps participants identify practical strategies which will support them to thrive in their daily lives.
The Adult Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit is a 12-week group programme that helps participants understand the impact of having experienced domestic abuse, explaining how they developed negative thinking patterns as a method of managing their risk and how these can hold them back from moving forward with their lives. Participation in the programme reinforces the individual’s own strengths, coping skills and resilience, contributing to improvements in health and wellness on a long-term, sustainable basis. This toolkit can be delivered virtually or in the room.
The Children and Young People’s Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit is an 8-week group programme for any young person that has witnessed or experienced domestic abuse. The Children and Young People's Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit is written as a compliment to the Adult Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit and is informed by the same therapeutic models. This toolkit is designed only to be delivered in the room.
Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit Facilitator Training Overview
Rock Pool’s three-day day CPD accredited facilitator training course enables frontline workers to use our nationally recognised Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit to facilitate transformational group work with both adults and children who have experienced domestic abuse. Incorporating the toolkits into your practice, will enhance your support to domestic abuse survivors, helping them navigate the path from trauma to recovery.
The course is suitable for professionals who are working with clients who have been affected by the trauma of domestic abuse and the managers of these services. The Toolkit has been designed so that it is very straightforward to deliver to groups, so no previous experience of leading group work or specific mental health training is required.
Key Learning Outcomes
The course explores a wide range of topics essential for successful delivery of the Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit
- Impact of trauma: Explore how the trauma of domestic abuse impacts on life choices
- Coercive control: How coercive control distorts thinking patterns making it hard for the victim to escape the abusive situation
- Trauma-informed approaches: Understand principles and practices of developing resilience in this context
- Neuroscience insights: Gain knowledge of current trauma-related neuroscience research
- Vicarious trauma: Recognise its impact and learn mitigation strategies, including self-care techniques for staff and volunteers
- Trauma-informed facilitation: How to lead groups with a trauma-sensitive approach using the exercises in the manual
Upon Successful Completion
Participants will receive:
- A license to deliver both adult and CYP programmes
- A comprehensive manual for structured, effective sessions including facilitator guidance, weekly session plans and handouts
- Unlimited access to the online Rock Pool Delegate Zone which hosts a range of resources
- A 30% discount on the first set of 15 participant journals
Rock Pool Trainers
This training will be delivered by one of the following sector experts, whose experience in working in this area will bring genuine insight to the training room.
Research Findings
Research findings from ‘Taking the Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit Online’ – project report for the big lottery shows that attending the programme:
- Enables individuals to understand they were not at fault or responsible for the abuse they experienced
- Enables individuals to identify the coercion and control they have experienced and has given them techniques to address this
- Enables participants to realise that they are not alone in their experiences, that others share similar experiences, and that recovery is possible
- Significantly improved individual self-esteem and assertiveness in a way that means they can negotiate healthier lifestyles and remain abuse free
- Provides real hope and potential for participants to have in the future abuse free lives and improved relationships with their children
Course Feedback
Feedback forms from 534 participants found that:
93% rated administration and enrolment as excellent or very good.
Across the 5 core course areas, the average self-score of understanding increased from 7.9 out of 10 pre course to 9.6 out of 10 post course.
95% said that they understand the principles and practices of trauma-informed approaches.
94% said that they understand how to successfully facilitate group work for adults and children and young people.
89% said that the training will improve their ability to conduct their day job.
91% said they would inform others in their organisation about the content of the training.