Call us on 01603 251730

First Line Management Development Programme

Download information on this programme

Practical skills and confident leadership for those working in family help and children’s services

First line managers are the bridge between frontline practitioners and senior leaders. They shape culture, ensure service quality, and provide the supervision and support that keeps practice safe and effective.

Often they step into these roles without structured development or the confidence to lead. This programme equips them with the tools, knowledge, and mindset to succeed – strengthening services today and building future leaders for tomorrow.

This programme is designed specifically for managers in children’s services and family help settings.

Rather than a “one size fits all” course, we work closely with you to design a programme that meets your needs. From the choice of modules to the length and format of delivery, we’ll agree the structure together to ensure it reflects your priorities and context.

Each session is grounded in the real-world challenges managers face, providing practical approaches they can apply immediately.

Key areas include:

  • The role of a manager in children’s services
  • Building effective teams and managing performance
  • Supervision and staff support
  • Managing upwards and influencing decision-making
  • Accountability and defensible decision-making
  • Coaching and reflective conversations
  • Using data effectively to drive improvement
  • Change management and motivating others

Delivery options: Short, focused workshops or longer, in-depth development pathways – delivered in-person or online.

Why Invest in First Line Managers?

  • Improved outcomes for families – Managers ensure frontline practitioners deliver the right help at the right time.
  • Sustainability of services – Strong managers retain staff, reduce burnout, and maintain service quality.
  • Support in transition – Many managers are promoted from practitioner roles; we help them make the shift with confidence.
  • Future leadership – Today’s first line managers are tomorrow’s service leaders.
  • All courses are offered on a Face to Face or Virtual basis.
  • Bespoke & Open Training Courses Available.

Case Studies

  • Oxfordshire Youth Justice Service – ACE’s training.

    This course was for members of the youth offending service who were interested in considering the impact of trauma and ACE’s on their young people and how to reflect that in case management.
    Read More

  • Camden - Early Help & Assessment Training

    Camden Council were looking for a training provider that could help embed their ‘Resilient Families’ Early Help agenda to a large number of multi-agency staff. We delivered a series of one-day introductory sessions to multi-agency professionals to raise awareness following the restructure of the Early Help offer for families in the borough.
    Read More

  • Enfield Trauma Informed Practice Programme

    We were delighted to be invited to create a virtual programme for Enfield Council which was delivered to a multi-agency group of learners
    Read More

  • Connexus - Effective Support Worker Training

    We were delighted to have another opportunity to continue our training with Connexus, working with a group of colleagues, the majority of whom were relatively new to their roles.

    Read More
View all Case Studies

Cancellation Policy

We are very flexible and will do our utmost to rearrange training should the need arise, but our trainers obviously commit themselves to the training days agreed and so if you need to cancel at short notice we will need to charge a cancellation fee to cover their time. 

Please see our cancellation terms / fees.

Search