Tech for good company named as first approved partner for specialist social work training

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND / AGILITYPR.NEWS / October 14, 2024 /

Press release

October 2024

Tech for good company named as first approved partner for specialist social work training

An award-winning Birmingham-based tech company has become the first provider to partner with the University of Birmingham and Sandwell Children’s Trust (SCT) to host their immersive virtual reality training for social workers.

Cornerstone VR, global pioneer of a VR-enabled behaviour-change programme for children’s services, will offer the newly developed Research Informed Virtual Relationship-based Practice Training (RIVRT) - an innovative training solution for social care professionals - on its flagship VR platform.

RIVRT was developed by the University of Birmingham and SCT after two years of ethnographic research, which closely followed social workers on home visits, in office environments and face-to-face supervision, providing real-world insights into their practice.

The training allows both new and experienced social workers to virtually engage in challenging scenarios, based on real-life social work visits. The immersive experience helps professionals learn the best approaches for handling different situations in a safe and controlled environment.

Serena Hadi, Head of Operations and Practice at Cornerstone VR, said: "We're proud to be the first provider to partner with the University of Birmingham and Sandwell Children's Trust to bring the innovative RIVRT training to social workers across the UK. This immersive training equips social workers with the skills and confidence to navigate complex social work cases, ultimately contributing to a safer and more supportive environment for all."

Dr. Tarsem Singh Cooner, Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Birmingham, said: "I am thrilled to be collaborating with Cornerstone VR to share our research findings through this cutting-edge platform.

“Together, our goal is to bring this research-driven training to professionals, empowering them to create positive impacts in the lives of the children and families they support.”

Wearing VR headsets, participants experience a social worker's 11-month journey with a fictional family, mirroring real-world child protection cases. The seven module training package allows trainees to experience what research has found leads to ‘barriers’ and ‘enablers’ in developing effective relationship-based practices by offering a front-row seat to the subtle nuances which can impact outcomes.

The training package provides learners with realistic, immersive experiences that foster empathy and understanding. By observing body language, tone, and relational approaches, trainees can develop skills to navigate complex child protection situations effectively.

Vijay Patel, Head of Safeguarding at the Social Care Institute for Excellence, said: “I think the training videos are invaluable for newly qualified social workers and students, especially if they haven’t had a lot of experience with challenging behaviours or language.

"It’s also a very good tool for experienced social workers, because we can always learn and seeing somebody else might make you say, ‘oh hang on, I do that’, or ‘hang on, I should be doing that’. I think it can be helpful for any practitioner at any point in their career.”

Like the University of Birmingham and SCT, Cornerstone VR is dedicated to driving impactful change through its flagship virtual reality (VR) programme, empowering professionals to deliver enhanced care and support to individuals of all ages.

For more information about Cornerstone VR's transformative solutions and recent developments, please visit; www.cornerstonevr.co.uk

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

About Cornerstone VR: Cornerstone VR, part of The Antser Group, is at the forefront of providing trauma-informed virtual reality solutions across the health, education and social care sectors. With a mission to improve outcomes for society's most vulnerable, Cornerstone VR empowers professionals with immersive experiences that enhance empathy and understanding of early-life trauma.

Website: www.cornerstonevr.co.uk

Research

Beddoe, L, Ferguson, H, Warwick, L, Disney, T, Leigh, J, & Cooner, TS (2021), ‘Supervision in child protection: a space and place for reflection or an excruciating marathon of compliance?’, European Journal of Social Work.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2021.1964443

Cooner, TS (2023) ‘Creating sensory-rich experiences to convey qualitative research messages: using 360-degree video as part of an experiential relationship-based practice learning design’ Social Work Education, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02615479.2023.2257717

Ferguson, H, Warwick, L, Disney, T, Leigh, J, Cooner, TS & Beddoe, L (2020), ‘Relationship-based practice and the creation of therapeutic change in long-term work: social work as a holding relationship’ Social Work Education, pp. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2020.1837105

Ferguson, H, Disney, T, Warwick, L, Leigh, J, Cooner, TS & Beddoe, L (2020), 'Hostile relationships in social work practice: anxiety, hate and conflict in long-term work with involuntary service users', Journal of Social Work Practice: Psychotherapeutic Approaches in Health, Welfare and the Community, pp. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2020.1834371