Healthy Dialogues is delivering a programme of Motivational Interviewing (MI) training within the Reading Borough Council. Motivational Interviewing is a client-centred, directive therapeutic approach designed to enhance readiness for change. It forms a core framework for practice within the councils Family Safeguarding model, supporting staff to have more effective, structured conversations with families.
Motivational Interviewing – 2-day training
This 2-day training equips staff with the knowledge and skills to engage families in meaningful, strengths-based conversations, helping them find their own motivations for change rather than being persuaded by practitioners.
The training equips staff with the knowledge and skills to engage families in meaningful, strengths-based conversations, helping them identify their own motivations for change. It supports the broader goal of keeping families together and reducing the number of children entering care.
During the training, we will cover:
- Core components and principles of MI
- Applying MI within your existing safeguarding practice
- Client-centred communication and reflective listening
- Addressing ambivalence and eliciting motivation for change
- Using questions, reflections and summaries to facilitate change
- Understanding how your own responses affect family engagement
- Recording interventions appropriately
Motivational Interviewing – Embedding Skills & Learning
Already completed your MI training? This half-day session is your opportunity to revisit core skills, deepen your practice, and bring MI to life in your everyday work with families. Through guided reflection, peer discussion, and scenario-based exercises, you’ll explore what’s working, tackle real challenges from your caseload, and sharpen the techniques, from reflective listening to eliciting change talk.
