Training

Flying Start recognises the value of professionals who are working with families and children in Luton. This workforce provides the means to delivering the Flying Start strategy and improving outcomes for babies and children.

Flying Start offers a free learning and development programme for professionals to access evidence based courses to support the primary prevention and early intervention that support healthy development in the early years.

All courses are free for staff who work in Luton. However there may be a charge of £75 for non attendance or cancellation less than 5 working days before any face-to-face training.

For more information on any of our training sessions, call Flying Start on 01582 368245 or email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk

Talking Takes Off Universal

Take Away Workshops

Talking Takes Off Universal

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Talking Takes Off Enhanced

Training

Talking Takes Off Enhanced

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Five to Thrive

(KCA Elearning and Training)

Five to Thrive

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KCA Elearning courses

(Including SEND)

KCA Elearning courses

Click Here

Talking Takes Off Universal Take Away Workshops (Speech, Language and Communication)

Talking Takes Off Takeaway Workshop (Universal Training)

We know that communication is key for early child development. For children who do not experience the opportunity to develop their speech, communication and language skills this can have a major impact on their readiness for school, their ability to form relationships and their emotional development as well as future life chances. There may be a range of reasons why children experience speech, language and communication (SLC) difficulties which may be transient or linked to longer term additional needs.

We are committed as a partnership in Luton to tackle this important issue collectively through a systems change approach to our work. Our ambition is that staff across the workforce come on our training to learn how they can support this important issue. Come and be part of this ambition.

The course is aimed at

  • professionals who work directly with families and children in both the children's and adults' workforce
  • those professionals whose role requires them to be in contact with families (they may not work directly with families but could still promote key messages within their service)
  • colleagues who work in the Voluntary and Community Sector

This free course aims to:

  • describe what typical communication and language development looks like: what to expect at each stage of development and when to be concerned
  • provide you with the Luton context in relation to communication and language needs and introduce you to the Luton Communication and Language pathway from pregnancy to five
  • introduce you to the Communication and Language screening tool to support early identification
  • clarify how this work supports the demands of your service: how you can measure impact and how you can support within your individual role
  • understand the role of Communication Champions and how they might support your service.
  • introduce you to the new Talking Takes Off Luton messages and provide you with some useful resources to take away

Please note this course is now available in a recorded version. Alternatively, the next Live TEAMS session is on:

Wednesday 3 December 2025- 10am to 12pm on Teams

Please email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk with your Name/ Job Role/Organisation/ Email Address to be sent the details/links

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK

"The Takeaway Workshop has been excellent. I did the ICAN training, some years ago now and have been keen to revisit this topic and update my knowledge, however day time training has never been available to me as I child mind.. it was engaging, clear, paced correctly, used a range of speakers and plenty of video examples. Thank you so much."

Talking Takes Off Enhanced Training

 

 

This training is for those that have already completed the universal Talking Takes Off Training to support you with using the Early Years Communication and Language Toolkit.

Aims of the session:

  • To explore the new Early Years Communication and Language Toolkit (find the toolkit here.)
  • For practitioners to feel confident in using the toolkit and screening tools
  • For practitioners to feel confident in interpreting results of the screening tools
  • For practitioners to feel confident in putting appropriate strategies in place

A recorded video version is available to those who couldn't attend the previous live sessions.

Please email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk with your Name/ Job Role/Organisation/ Email Address to be sent the details/link

Lift O ff to Language (Teams)

Lift Off to Language COMBINED training (2 year olds AND 3 to 5 year olds)

This is a workshop for staff working with children in Early Years. Lift off to Language is a locally developed programme by Speech and Language Therapists in Bedfordshire and Luton. Practitioners are trained and supported by the Speech and Language Therapists to run language booster groups aimed at the 2 year olds or 3-5 year olds within their setting.

After the initial training session, practitioners are expected to run the group in their setting within the next term. A Speech and Language Therapist may visit your setting or virtually drop in to support you with a least one of these sessions. You will be signed off as a 'Lift Off to Language setting' when this has been completed.

Please email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk with your Name/ Job Role/Organisation/ Email Address to be sent the details/link for:

Wednesday 15 October, 9.30am to 11.30am on Teams

Sail into Sounds (Teams)

Sail into Sounds

Lots of children have difficulties with their speech sound development. The aim of this targeted group is to support children in their settings and to develop staff skills when working with these children. All of the activities focus on input skills, we are not asking children to produce sounds during Sail Into Sounds.

Alongside the group, it is also important to use the ideas in daily routines to embed practice and support children's speech sound development.

Sail into Sounds has been developed to support children's skills in Attention and listening, Phonological awareness and Speech sound production

Please note: This training compromises of a 2 hour online training session AND one face to face observation of a group once you have started running the group in your setting. Staff should be prepared to commit to both parts of this training when requesting a place.

Please email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk with your Name/ Job Role/Organisation/ Email Address to be sent the details/link for:

Wednesday 8 October, 9.30am to 11.30am on Teams

Bilingualism Training

Bilingualism in Early Childhood

Many children grow up exposed to two languages or more from an early age and despite its prevalence, there is conflicting advice around raising children bilingually. This course addresses important questions concerning how best to foster bilingual development to gain the maximum benefits that recent research has identified.

Aims: For participants to understand:

  • the different forms of bilingualism
  • the benefits of bilingualism
  • the typical stages in second language development
  • how to support children with learning a second language

Please email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk with your Name/ Job Role/Organisation/ Email Address to be sent the details/link for:

Tuesday 4 November, 10am to 12pm on Teams

FEEDBACK:

"I can use it to give advice to the concerned parents who are bilingual and at the same time I can use with my son as well, who is bilingual"

Five to Thrive Training

Five to Thrive is an approach to support the children's workforce to develop the skills and knowledge to work with families. Through the training, practitioners learn the skills to build parental capacity by increasing their understanding of the emotional development of their baby. The approach is built upon the emerging evidence about neuro-science and baby's brain development. It is a systemic approach to early intervention and positive parenting. It identifies the key parental activities contributing to brain development and promotes confident, reflective parenting. It enables practitioners to teach and model mindful interactions.

Course Title: Brain Development and Positive Parenting: promoting optimal brain development for babies and young children under 5 years

There is now an ONLINE e-learning of this course you can access for free in your own time.

Please email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk or call 01582 368245 to access! We will need your:

  • Full name
  • Contact email address
  • Organisation and Profession/Role

If you are from a setting where several of you need the training- please contact us and we may be able to arrange a bespoke face-to-face training on this area.

Upcoming live training:

Dates TBC

SEND Elearning Courses

We have partnered with KCA to offer some free online e-learning for those working with families in Luton wanting to further their knowledge.

Please find the details of the training below.

You can email flyingstarttraining@eyalliance.org.uk or call 01582 368245 to register for a course.

We will need the course you are interested in and your:

  • Full name
  • Contact email address
  • Organisation and Profession/Role

EY Early identification and action: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in the early years
Level 3 30 hours
This course promotes best practice in early intervention when working with early years children identified with SEN Understand the key principles underpinning the work of early years special education needs practitioners
Define Special Educational Needs (SEN) by describing the four areas of need and the key difficulties associated with each
Describe the identifying characteristics of High and Low Incidence special needs
Explain the cycle of the 'Graduated Approach', and how each aspect helps to provide suitable SEN support
Explain the role of the early years practitioner / key person and that of the SENCO within the cycle
Understand ways to promote positive practice in working with children identified with SEN and their parents / carers
Explain how and why reviews of progress, including formal progress checks, should be used to inform the 'Graduated Approach'
Explain the importance of the child and the child's parents/carers, being actively engaged and participating as fully as possible in decisions.
Explain what an effective support plan should include and why clear outcomes are important.
Identify what information can and/or should be shared with others within the setting and beyond to support the achievement of the agreed outcomes and effective transition.

Level 3 30 hours
…understanding how to support colleagues to develop their SEND practice. A unit in the Level 3 EY SENCO certificate
Understand the key role of SENCO in supporting colleagues
Explain own responsibility to support colleagues in their work with children with SEND
Explain how to identify the needs of colleagues in relation to working with children with SEN
Explain the legal requirements that Early Years providers have towards disabled children
Describe key elements of internal policies and procedures to support practitioners
Be able to develop positive skills in supporting other people in their professional work
Reflect on how you would support and identify practitioners to develop their expertise in relation to SEND to ensure that practitioners have the relevant skills and knowledge
Explain how to support colleagues in working with children for whom English is an Additional Language (EAL), recognising when the child's differences in rates of progress arise from EAL, SEN or both

Level 3 30 hours
This course enables the learner to understand the roles and responsibilities of the early years SENCO
Understand the role and responsibilities of the early years SENCO in the context of Early Years (EY) legislation, policies and procedures within the setting,
Identify the principles, statutory guidance and legislation underpinning the 'Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice'
Explain the role of the SENCO in private, voluntary and independent early years settings in actively engaging with all involved in supporting a child with SEN
Identify the principles underpinning Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
Explain which records should be maintained and used to track progress and achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes for children, and how this should be done
Be able to develop effective skills in reflective practice as an early years SENCO
Reflect on practice, assessing own skills and competencies, identifying gaps by using the Reflective Practice (RP) model for analysis
Identify and use professional development opportunities, including training and other sources of support, to address own development needs.

Level 3 30 hours
understanding the importance of liaising with external agencies. A unit in the level 3 Early Years SENCO certificate
Understand the range of individuals and agencies involved with children with SEN and how to access appropriate support
Describe the local offer, including the provision that the Local Authority expects to be available from providers of all relevant early year's education
Explain the range of support services available and how individual settings can access them
Explain how funding can contribute to whole setting support to improve children's sen and disability outcomes
Develop skills in identifying and actively communicating with a full range of professionals beyond own setting
Reflect on how you can liaise with professionals, agencies and services beyond the setting
Explain how to signpost families for advice and services beyond the setting and encourage use of them
Describe how SEN support should include planning and preparation for transition, before a child moves into another school or setting
Explain how to share information with the receiving setting or school and how to involve children and their parents / carers in this

  • Adolescence (approx. 10 hours)
  • Assessing and managing risk (approx. 10 hours)
  • Attachment and brain development (approx. 10 hours)
  • Behaviour and the physical environment (approx. 10 hours)
  • Behaviour and the physical environment: Adapting the physical environment to promote recovery from trauma (approx. 20 hours)
  • Building individual and community resilience (approx. 20 hours)
  • Building resilience (approx. 10 hours)
  • Child development (approx. 10 hours)
  • Child protection (approx. 10 hours)
  • Child sexual exploitation: Protecting children and young people from harm (approx. 10 hours)
  • Child-centred assessment (approx. 10 hours)
  • Children and young people who misuse substances (approx. 10 hours)
  • Children's rights (approx. 10 hours)
  • Communicating with children and young people (approx. 10 hours)
  • Community resilience and secondary trauma: Maintaining well-being in the public service workforce (approx. 10 hours)
  • Community resilience and toxic stress: Working with trauma across the lifespan (approx. 10 hours)
  • Confidentiality and record keeping (approx. 10 hours)
  • Contact in foster care (approx. 10 hours)
  • Domestic violence (approx. 10 hours)
  • Eating disorders: A relationship-based approach to prevention and recovery (approx. 10 hours)
  • Emotion coaching (approx. 10 hours)
  • Emotion coaching: A systemic, relational approach to behaviour (approx. 20 hours)
  • Equality and diversity (approx. 10 hours)
  • Equality and diversity in professional practice (approx. 20 hours)
  • Five to Thrive for Life: Adolescence (approx. 10 hours)
  • Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Systemic approaches to improving life chances for children and young people (approx. 10 hours)
  • Foetal exposure to alcohol (approx. 20 hours)
  • Impulsive behaviour (approx. 10 hours)
  • Introduction to attachment and brain development (approx. 10 hours)
  • Introduction to child development (approx. 10 hours)
  • Introduction to child protection (approx. 10 hours)
  • Introduction to communicating with children and young people (approx. 10 hours)
  • Introduction to promoting secure attachment: Brain development and positive parenting (approx. 10 hours)
  • Introduction to understanding trauma (approx. 10 hours)
  • Making safe connections – the digital revolution, neuroscience and human attachment needs (approx. 10 hours)
  • Maladaptive behaviours: Promoting recovery for children who harm themselves (approx. 20 hours)
  • Men in children's services (approx. 10 hours)
  • Multi-disciplinary working (approx. 10 hours)
  • Narrative work (approx. 10 hours)
  • Narrative work: The development of a positive sense of self (approx. 20 hours)
  • Parental mental health issues (approx. 10 hours)
  • Professional development (approx. 10 hours)
  • Safer caring (approx. 10 hours)
  • Secondary trauma (approx. 10 hours)
  • Secondary trauma and community resilience (approx. 20 hours)
  • Self-harming behaviours (approx. 10 hours)
  • Self-injuring and self-sabotaging behaviours: A relationship-based approach to prevention and recovery (approx. 10 hours)
  • Sexualised behaviour: Issues in foster care (approx. 10 hours)
  • Sexualised behaviour: Managing risk, promoting recovery (approx. 20 hours)
  • Supervising foster care (approx. 20 hours)
  • Teamwork (approx. 10 hours)
  • The role of the foster carer (approx. 10 hours)
  • Transitions and vulnerability (approx. 10 hours)
  • Understanding trauma (approx. 10 hours)
  • Vulnerability, trauma and recovery (approx. 20 hours)

Other Training Courses

Working with Quiet Children and those with Selective Mutism

This course is suitable for professionals and families who wish to understand how to recognise and understand the causes of Selective Mutism and support the child with SM and to put in place an appropriate plan. * Free For Luton settings and residents but £25 for non Luton schools/residents which is non refundable

*Awaiting new dates*

To book: please contact Gold Coker on Tel: (01582) 548151 or email on Gold.coker@luton.gov.uk

Early Years Alliance Training: www.eyalliance.org.uk/online-early-years-training and www.eyalliance.org.uk/alliance-spotlights

Other partner training listed below:

Speech Language Communication E-learning (flyer)