Effective Key Working with Young People training

What this course covers

• Describe the key worker role and its place in the team around a young person
• Build trust deliberately with young people whose experience has taught them not to trust adults
• Plan and run key work sessions that are purposeful, recorded and shaped with the young person
• Use PACE — playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, empathy — in everyday interactions
• Navigate the plans that govern a young person's care and your part in delivering them

How much does Effective Key Working with Young People training cost?

£4 per person on Care2Learn, with no minimum order and no subscription. If your team needs a full training matrix rather than one course, a subscription at £2 per learner per month covers every course in the catalogue — see the 2026 price comparison.

Who needs it

Keyworkers and those about to become one — in children's homes, supported accommodation and supported living — plus the managers who supervise key work and chair the plans it feeds. Completion is recorded with the date taken and the date it is next due, so it appears correctly on your training matrix and can be evidenced at inspection.

What the learner receives

A certificate in their own name carrying the CPD Aligned seal, showing the completion date and the renewal date a year later, downloadable at any time. The record belongs to the learner, not just the employer — it travels with them rather than sitting in one provider's system.

Related courses

Providers usually assign these alongside Effective Key Working with Young People.

• Trauma-Informed Practice & ACEs — 45 min online, £4 per person
• Preparing for Adulthood: Supporting Independence — 45 min online, £4 per person
• Risk Assessment & Safety Planning with Young People — 40 min online, £4 per person
• Effective Communication Skills — 60 min online, £4 per person

You can also browse the full catalogue, or read about the Care Certificate for staff new to care.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Effective Key Working with Young People training take?

About 45 min of e‑learning, across 12 sections with 15 assessment questions. Learners can stop and resume at any point, and it works on a phone.

What does Effective Key Working with Young People training cover?

By the end of the course a learner should be able to describe the key worker role and its place in the team around a young person; build trust deliberately with young people whose experience has taught them not to trust adults; plan and run key work sessions that are purposeful, recorded and shaped with the young person. The full list of learning outcomes is set out above.

Is Effective Key Working with Young People CPD Aligned, and how is it assessed?

Yes — the certificate carries the CPD Aligned seal. The assessment is multiple choice with a pass mark of 70%; attempts are recorded and learners can retake it. Renewal is set at 12 months from the completion date, so the course reappears on your training matrix when it is due.

Which plans and meetings does it cover?

The care plan, placement and support plans, the pathway plan from 16, IRO-chaired reviews and the wider team around the young person — social worker, personal adviser, education and health. The heart of the course is relationship-based practice: building trust, PACE, sessions that mean something, boundaries inside a close relationship, and rupture and repair.

Does this count towards the Care Certificate?

No — this is a standalone course rather than one of the Care Certificate standards. The Care Certificate is available as its own guided course for staff who are new to care.