Bookbug for the Home training

This training is for practitioners and volunteers working in the community to support individual families in their homes. Bookbug for the Home can also be used as part of targeted work with small groups. The training will enable them to enhance their family support work and is a flexible approach that can be used to support mums, dads and carers with sharing songs, rhymes and stories with their children (0-5 years old), particularly where they face barriers to participation due to their personal circumstances.

The course provides all of the theoretical and practical knowledge, and resources you need to deliver Bookbug activities while working one to one with a family, either in a family’s home or digitally.

Our interactive training is a balance of practical exercises and researched-based theory about book sharing, music and child development.

Although delegates will participate in songs and rhymes in the group, you will not be asked to sing on your own.

Please note that this training course is not for those who wish to run Bookbug Sessions with groups of families. If you are interested in delivering Bookbug Sessions, please see our page on Bookbug Session Leader Training. If you have already attended Bookbug for the Home training, and are looking for a refresher, please register for Bookbug for the Home Refresher training.

Course details

The course will offer a range of learning opportunities to:

• Build your understanding of the importance of songs, rhymes and stories for both children and families
• Learn and practise songs and rhymes, and consider how to build these activities into your practice to encourage families to sing and rhyme together
• Explore a range of picture books and practise reading aloud
• Signpost families to Bookbug Sessions and online resources

Cost

Funded by Scottish Government at no cost for participants.

Format

Blended

Our blended training is a mix of a trainer-led online theory session, and a hands-on in-person practical session. This course is comprised of:

• A small amount of preparation work which will be sent two weeks before the session.
• A 3.5 hour live online session, run on either Zoom or MS Teams
• A 3.5 hour in-person session, one week later. Attendance is required at both sessions to complete training. There will be a comfort break halfway through each session.

Online

Interactive online, trainer-led sessions combining theory and practical work. This course is comprised of:

• A small amount of preparation work which will be sent two weeks before the session.
• Two 3.5 hour live, interactive online sessions, a week apart. Attendance is required at both sessions to complete the training. There will be a comfort break halfway through each session.

Eligibility

Before you register for training please check you meet all the eligibility criteria. You need to:

• Be affiliated with an organisation, either as a member of staff or a volunteer, which will support the practitioner’s use of Bookbug for the Home
• Plan to use the Bookbug for the Home approach with families with children (0-5 years old), not just with children by themselves.
• Be over 16
• Plan to start using Bookbug for the Home within 2 months of training course

This training course is aimed at family support workers, early years workers, social workers and social work assistants, members of health visiting teams, speech and language therapists, prison visitor centre staff and other family outreach workers, as well as volunteers who work in such capacities.

Upcoming training and how to register

Dates will be released on a rolling basis throughout the year so check back regularly or sign up for our regular Working with Bookbug(this link will open in a new window) newsletter to be notified as training dates are added.

(this link will open in a new window)Register for a training course

Blended Bookbug for the Home training sessions

• Tuesday 20 August (MS Teams) and Tuesday 27 August (Perth) – 9.30am–1pm
• Wednesday 4 September (MS Teams) and Wednesday 11 September (Aberdeen) – 9.30am–1pm
• Thursday 19 September (Zoom) and Thursday 26 September (North Berwick) – 9.30am–1pm

Online Bookbug for the Home training sessions

• Wednesday 21 and 28 August, 9.30am–1pm, MS Teams
• Tuesday 17 and 24 September, 9.30am–1pm, Zoom

In our online training course, you need to:

• Have a computer, laptop or tablet that connects to the internet with working audio, camera and microphone. A mobile phone is not suitable due to the format of the training.
• Be registered individually on the training course and participate on your own individual device.
• Be able to access Zoom(this link will open in a new window) or MS Teams(this link will open in a new window) (depending on the platform of the session you registered for).

If you have any questions or you need additional support with the registration process, please contact the Bookbug team at [email protected](this link will open in a new window) or 0131 524 0179.