Syllabus

• Week 1

  Welcome to the course

  • Welcome to the course

    In this first activity we will describe what this course is about, why it’s important, and give you the opportunity to introduce yourself and meet the Learning Team.

  • Introduction

    In this step, we will look at the definition of children and introduce the idea that children themselves are not vulnerable, but that vulnerability comes from circumstances and contexts which children experience.

  • Who are runaway children?

    In this step, we will look at what characterises a runaway child, how this is influenced by social misconceptions and stigma, and the impact these occurrences have on runaways and their families.

  • The social misconceptions about runaways

    In this activity, you will explore how social misconceptions about runaways are created and what these misconceptions are. You will also reflect on the impact it has on runaways and their families.

  • End of week 1

    This activity includes a short quiz, a summary of the learning from this week, and an opportunity to discuss your progress and any challenges from this week with other learners.

• Week 2

  Running away and adverse childhood experiences

  • Why do children run away?

    In this activity we will begin to explore the reasons why children run away and the different patterns that have been identified by research. We will also reflect on which groups of children are more likely to run away and why.

  • The role of Adverse Childhood Experiences

    In this activity we will introduce what Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are and the link with running away. We will then reflect on the different ACEs that runaways experience and how these vary for groups of children.

  • The risks of running away

    We will begin this activity by explore some of the more common risks that runaways face when they are away from home. We will then describe the risk of criminalisation for runaways, why it happens, and how it can be reduced.

  • The impact on runaways and their families

    In this activity we will cover the different ways that running away can negatively impact runaways and their families. We will explore the impact of ACEs and trauma, the impact of mental illness, as well as the longer-term impacts

  • End of week 2

    This activity includes a short quiz, a summary of the learning from this week, and an opportunity to discuss your progress and any challenges from this week with other learners.

• Week 3

  Supporting runaway children

  • Supporting runaways while away from home

    In this activity we will reflect on the challenges of helping runaways when they are away from home and explore the services that can support them in their communities.

  • Good practices when a runaway returns

    In this activity we will describe good practices that exist across Europe to support runaways and their families. We will explore what these practices are and why they are effective in helping runaways when they return.

  • The power of relationships

    In this activity we introduce the concept of trusted adults and why these figures positively impact children's lives. We will also reflect on the barriers that exist in building trusted relationships between children and adults.

  • Improving the support for runaways

    In this activity we will explore different strategies that can improve the support available for runaways and their families. We will focus on strategies for families, professionals, and law enforcement.

  • End of week 3

    This activity includes a short quiz, a summary of the learning from this week, and an opportunity to discuss your progress and any challenges from this week with other learners.

• Week 4

  Prevention work

  • The importance of building bridges

    In this activity we will reflect on the importance of connecting children with authority figures, such as police and social services, in order to prevent running away. We will refer to this as 'building bridges'.

  • Improving prevention work for runaways

    In this activity we will explore different strategies that can be applied to prevent running away or reduce the rates of running away.

  • Working collectively with children as a strategy for prevention

    This activity is led by RADAR's child participation expert, Cath Larkins, who will explain, through a series of podcasts, the obligation to and benefit of collaborating with children to improve services and communities.

  • End of week 4

    This activity includes a summary of the learning from this week and an opportunity to discuss your learning over the last four weeks. We will also introduce the next steps before the final course test.

  • Course test

    This is the final step of this course. The course test will provide an opportunity for you to review all that you have learnt throughout this course. There are 10 questions in total. Good luck!

Who will you learn with?