New online game to help train child protection professionals

The Centre for Child Protection at the University is to launch Rosie 2, the second part of its ground-breaking and highly acclaimed serious training game, at an event in London on 26 October.

Among those speaking at the launch will be Fiona Harrow, Deputy Director, Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy Division, Department for Education.

Complementing Rosie 2, the University will also launch a new distance learning MA in Advanced Child Protection in January 2013.

As a serious training game, Rosie 2 offers child protection professionals at all stages of their careers a safe new medium to explore and reflect upon child protection assessment in a family situation. Among its advantages, Rosie 2 provides those involved in child protection with the opportunity to evaluate and re-evaluate a long term case without putting children or service users at risk. Taking into account recent reports and research evidence, Rosie 2 has been written to facilitate individual and/or group discussion and learning on thresholds of neglect, signs of neglect, assessment of parenting skills, capacity to change and direct work with both parents and children. Through the use of established and new characters, professionals are given the opportunity to work through thirteen 'scenes' with the social worker and health visitor on a pre-arranged home visit to a family with complex problems.

Rosie 1 (free to download at www.kent.ac.uk/sspssr/ccp) was released in June 2011. Built in 3D, as a prototype, it is based upon a real case which dealt with an initial Section 47 home visit by a social worker. Although the visit initially appeared benign, the social worker is exposed to unexpected people, reactions and events as it progresses.

Rosie 2: Neglect, built in 2D, is focussed on the same family five years on. It tackles neglect in what has now become a long-term case involving several changes of social worker. It also promotes the theme of inter-professional practice by exploring the boundaries and challenges of undertaking a joint visit to the family by a health visitor and social worker. Rosie 2 offers those responsible for continuous professional development (CPD) a unique opportunity to provide up-to-date and innovative training for health and social work practitioners by immersing in a realistic and research-based case. It also provides opportunities for discussion and reflection to determine the outcome for the family.

Rosie 1 and 2 have been developed by David Shemmings, Professor of Child Protection Research, and Dr Jane Reeves, both at the University's School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR), with guidance from recent reports and research on child protection and input from current child protection practitioners.

Professor Shemmings said: 'Our new Centre for Child Protection offers professionals unique opportunities to prepare for practice with children and families in the light of Professor Eileen Munro's government-sponsored review of child protection. Together with our innovation use of interactive, virtual-reality based 'serious games', its new MA and other online features are cutting-edge approaches to continuous professional development.'

Dr Reeves added: 'The Centre and the new initiatives it offers provide a real opportunity for inter-professional dialogue on child protection at a very important time.'

Further information on the launch event is available at www.kent.ac.uk/sspssr/ccp/contact-launch

Contact: pressoffice@kent.ac.uk

Story published at 9:34am 22 October 2012