National Corporate Parenting Training Programme Evaluation

Appendix 1: Topic guide

Thank respondents for participating in the discussion. Reassure them that all views will be confidential and anonymous. Findings will be reported in aggregate form only. Remember to ask respondents to switch off mobile phones

The following topic areas should be used as a framework for discussion. All should be discussed at some point during the session.

Background information and warm up

• What is their role within their health board / local authority / CPP; how long have they been in this role; in what ways has this / does this involve them in any dealings with looked after children / being a corporate parent

Corporate parenting

• Understanding of their role as corporate parents; what this entails; responsibilities etc
• What guidance / support / information would they have liked to have been available when they first took on this role
• What information / support / guidance has been obtained about corporate parenting and where from; how useful has this been
• Are there still any gaps in the information / support / guidance available to them and what are these gaps

Prior to attending the National Training Programme (NTP)

• When did they first hear about the NTP
• How did they become involved in this (invited by another / proactive request to participate)
• What was their understanding of what the programme would entail
• What were their expectations prior to attending the programme

Attending the NTP / Assessment of activities

TRAINING MATERIALS WILL BE USED TO PROMPT DISCUSSION AT RELEVANT POINTS

• What did participation in the NTP involve eg time commitment / training sessions / spreading the message to colleagues who weren't on the programme etc
• What were the various elements of the NTP (probing on induction resource / training events / training resources etc); how useful / informative / supportive was each and why
• To what extent were training material reflective of local issues and priorities
• How has what has been learnt been put into practice
• What was the most / least useful part of the training programme and why
• How has this training compared to any other training / information received in the past on corporate parenting

Project outcomes

RESPONDENTS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A LISTING OF THE PROJECT OUTCOMES AND KEY ACTIVITIES ONCE THEY HAVE PROVIDED SPONTANEOUS COMMENT

• To what extent did the NTP;
  • Increase awareness of the issues and challenges faced by looked after children
  • Raise awareness of the corporate parenting responsibilities of respondents and their local authority / health board / CPP
  • Highlight good practice and challenges to be faced
  • Raise awareness of and make links with national policy in Scotland and key initiatives on looked after children (eg link between NTP, GIRFEC, Changing Lives Agenda, CfE etc)
  • Craft a culture around normalising the experiences for looked after children and young people
  • Fit with other training eg IS training programme for Elected Members
• What is the overall impact of the training; does it represent value for money; would they recommend this to colleagues and why / why not
• Is good practice shared with other colleagues within authority / other local authorities

The future

• Would respondents recommend that a second phase of this programme should be undertaken, why / why not
• Who should this be aimed at and why; who would benefit most from this
• What elements should a second phase of training comprise; how would this differ to the first phase
• What existing elements would they want to see delivered differently
• What would they do if they were in charge of programme delivery
• Any other comments