Working with children

Learning and Development training programme 2020/2021

We offer comprehensive, high quality training courses to suit the mandatory and essential training requirements of the children’s workforce. The training is open to all staff and practitioners who come under the umbrella of Children’s Services including:

  • schools
  • early years, private, voluntary and independent providers
  • Start Well Centres
  • childminders voluntary, community and faith sector
  • youth, play and sport

The Start Well Service works with the early years workforce and other professionals to ensure the best possible start in life for every child.

HMRC E-learning courses

Courses for advice and guidance from the Inland Revenue:

Courses available

Due to the current Covid-19 situation, the training planned and booked via the workforce development team for the reminder of 2020, is doubtful in its current format.

To help keep everyone safe, we have made the decision to cancel some of the training that has been advertised and booked for delivery (with the exemption of emergency courses booked under new measures).

We value you as a learner and are looking at a variety of safe methods to deliver the training that you need, and we will shortly be updating our webpages with the new children programme.

The web pages will detail courses, dates, times, method of delivery and booking instructions. Please have a look and book courses following the instructions as they become available.

In addition to help keep you informed, we will be producing a monthly newsletter, detailing new courses and course availability. This will include the method of delivery and booking instructions.

In the meantime

We have a number of online learning platforms that you and your staff may be interested in.

  • Me Learning – the New Online Training platform has a wide variety of short courses available.  A full licence will give you unlimited access to all courses until March 2021 for just £20 per person. Please email wpd-elearning@bolton.gov.uk for more information

Mental Health

We are pleased to announce our new Mental Health training program. Please follow the links below to learn more about each course and email   LearningandDevelopment@bolton.gov.uk if you would like to book on any of them.

  • 5 ways to wellbeing is a one hour introductory workshop that explores the '5 ways to Wellbeing' and introduce the training pathway that will be available for staff to support many aspects of wellbeing and mental health. 
  • Connect 5 is a three session programme that is created to upskill non mental health staff to understand and address mental health issues within their everyday practice. 
  • Living Life To The Full (LLTTF) builds on helping people learn how to improve how they feel when they are feeling low or stressed.
  • Mental Health Awareness is for anyone interested in developing their awareness of mental health and well-being.
  • Mental Health Champions for those who support others, and to gain awareness in recognising signs and symptoms of mental health issues.
  • SafeTALK - suicide alertness.
  • What causes well-being to dip will help you to increase well-being in yourself and your co-workers.

  • Mental Health First Aid (2 day) - for those who wish to be nominated as a Mental Health First Aider

  • MindEd - Mental health support for children and young people. To create your free MindEd account please visit the MindEd website. The three modules are part of the courses entitled 'core content' and are suitable as an introduction/awareness level around mental health in relation to young people:
    • Introduction to the MindEd content
    • Normal psychological development
    • Common problems and first help

How to become a childminder

Safeguarding training

The following course is available:


Bolton Safeguarding Children Partnership

Training resources

This is an example of a training matrix that you can use in your setting, to record staff completion of mandatory training. It is a good way to show staff, and Ofsted where your setting is up to in undertaking both mandatory and CPD training.

A blank template is available for you tailor to your own setting.

First Aid

Emergency First Aid at Work

Health and Safety