Professionals who work with children and families in a Children’s Advocacy Center often juggle several responsibilities. They support children who may be victims of abuse and families who are navigating a world that feels a little less friendly. At the same time, they must navigate professional relationships within their multidisciplinary team.
Two recent trainings hosted by Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania focused on helping participants cultivate healthy professional cultures and strengthen the way they support children, families, and colleagues.
On August 18, Geoff Sidoli, LCSW, led Clinical Supervision in the Child Advocacy Setting, a training designed to support clinical supervisors as they build healthy professional relationships with the people they supervise.
The training helped them develop an approach that makes it easier for employees to receive constructive feedback, improve their professional skills, and build competence with confidence.
Participants deeply connected with the approach and information Geoff presented. One shared, “Geoff was so engaging I felt like the time wasn’t long enough. I could have participated for another hour!”
That’s high praise for a virtual workshop! 100% of participants rated the training as high quality and felt Geoff was knowledgeable and presented the material effectively.
The following day, Dr. Kate Watson of Advocacy Academy presented Stages of Change, a training that explored how victims of violence and trauma often move in and out of different stages of readiness to change.
The session offered important insight for advocates, therapists, and other support professionals who walk alongside survivors and their families at different points in their healing and decision-making process. By understanding change as a fluid process rather than a rigid timeline, participants were better equipped to meet clients where they are with skill and compassion.
Survey feedback was once again outstanding — 100% of participants were satisfied with the training and rated Dr. Watson’s training as high quality. Participants praised Kate’s knowledge and presentation, with one respondent noting, “If I could rate Dr. Watson higher, I would! AMAZING!”
Offering ongoing professional development opportunities is an integral part of our mission at Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania. Whether our training focuses on strengthening professional relationships or deepening our understanding of the effects of trauma, we strive to provide child abuse responders with practical tools that improve child abuse investigations, strengthen victim support, and encourage productive working relationships within MDTs.
Are you a CAC or MDT professional? Explore upcoming training opportunities on our Events & Trainings page. A Coalition Manager account is required to register for most trainings.