Training

KUF two-day OPD Pathway training - designed for staff working in agencies related to the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway

Who is the training aimed at?

The staff groups are listed below in order of priority:

1. Anyone working on the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway (OPD)
2. Anyone working in a prison (not just officer grades) or in the National Probation Service (NPS)

Staff working in an organisation that works with offenders managed by the NPS. Staff who support offenders in the community as part of a contract with the NPS (an example of this would be the Lucy Faithfull Foundation or Circles UK). If in doubt speak to your local OPD Specialist Probation Officer, Regional Co-commissioner or National Workforce Lead.

3. Anyone working in the Criminal Justice Sector (police, courts) or Forensic Mental Health setting
4. Mental Health Trusts, third sector (not working with offenders), service users (not intending to become trainers), GPs, Social Care, Local Authority and Independent sector

The training aims to support staff working with people with complex emotional needs by:

• Providing a framework for understanding the development of complex emotional needs
• Introducing formulation as a means to understand how the past might impact on the present
• Supporting staff to recognise and respond to the interpersonal dynamics often encountered in complex settings
• Developing skills around team working, reflective practice and staff wellbeing

If you are interested in attending a 2-Day OPD course, please locate your regional KUF lead via the contacts page on this website in order to enquire as to availability.

This four-day training for staff working with women in prisons and secure settings is an excellent follow-on from the KUF Awareness level trainings. Please Note: applicants must attend ALL four training days.

The training looks specifically at the role of trauma and self-harm and provides a comprehensive introduction to the rudiments of case formulation.

Other topics included are:

• How the women present;
• Working with psychologically informed approaches (including case formulations);
• Understanding and managing distress;
• Containment, boundaries and relational security;
• Investigating the benefits and challenges of working in multi-disciplinary teams.

If you are interested in attending a WKUF+ course, please locate your regional KUF lead via the contacts page on this website in order to enquire as to availability.

Designed for people working in multiagency settings, including mental health, social care and housing services, these courses:  

• Explore different perspectives around complex emotional needs associated with the diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’
• Outline different ways of understanding complex emotional needs through examining how someone’s past experiences can affect their present
• Develop an understanding of how to work effectively with people with complex emotional needs
• Reflect on different approaches to working with people with complex emotional needs and the impact of reactions and responses
• Explore the impact of working with people with complex emotional needs on the wider team

Please note: applicants must attend all three training days.

This is suitable for non-clinical staff and for those staff who may come into contact with service users but not through providing direct care (for example, GP reception staff, administrative staff). 

The training aims to support staff in a non-clinical role working with people with complex emotional needs, often associated with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’ by: 

• Exploring current models for understanding complex emotional needs
• Exploring key models for understanding how complex emotional needs develop.
• Considering interpersonal dynamics commonly encountered and reactions and responses to these.
• Exploring ways of effectively managing the challenges of working with people with complex emotional needs including how to develop a compassion-centred approach to the work

The KUF Train the Trainer programmes are currently open to all staff who have completed the 2-Day OPD pathway training and meet the required competencies.

The KUF Train the Trainer programmes are designed to support potential new KUF Trainers to feel confident and competent in the delivery of KUF training.

• Developing an understanding of the training materials
• Practising using KUF training materials in action
• Outlining the differences between ‘teaching’ and ‘facilitation’
• Exploring the benefits and challenges of co-facilitation
• Practising working with others to co-produce training sessions
• Exploring the differences between co-facilitating training online and co-facilitating training face-to-face

As with all KUF training, the KUF Train the Trainer programmes are co-facilitated by two instructors: one with lived experience and one with clinical/practitioner experience.

NB: The KUF Train the Trainer programmes are assessed courses. All students will be asked to self-assess against the KUF Trainer Competency Framework before gaining registration as a KUF Trainer.

All 2-Day OPD Train the Trainer programmes are now delivered by dedicated training Hubs. These are divided into a London Hub and a Northern Hub. In order to make an enquiry regarding the Train the Trainer programmes, and to check which Hub you are able to access the training through, please see the details for both on our contacts page.