Human Rights Open Courses
BIHR delivers a series of online courses throughout the year to enable human rights capacity-building across a range of topics. Teams and organisations can book up to 10 places, joining a larger mixed group of learners to support peer reflection and application of human rights law in practice.
We run five courses on a rolling basis throughout the year - scroll to find out more about each course and register interest for your team or organisation.
What are BIHR's Open Courses?
BIHR’s training and support focuses on turning human rights from legal principles into practical tools that organisations can use in their work.
Our five Open Courses focus on a range of themes, aiming to provide specific support in a time-limited way, bringing together learners from multiple organisations to share experience and explore how the Human Rights Act can support their work.
Looking for something more tailored to your team or organisation's priorities? BIHR also offers bespoke and long-term human rights training and support which some may find more appropriate than our open courses, which are designed with a broad audience in mind.
What Human Rights Open Courses are available?
Select the dropdown titles to explore what each Open Course covers, with links to the main course homepage where you can find out more and register your interest.
Is your preferred topic missing from this list? Get in touch with BIHR at training@bihr.org.uk to share your suggestions for future open courses, or to discuss a bespoke BIHR workshop or programme for your organisation.
ADVOCACY
A Practical Introduction to the Human Rights Act in Advocacy Work
Who's it for? Independent and statutory advocates.
Learners will... leave with a clear understanding of the Human Rights Act, the legal duties it places on public officials, and how it relates to advocacy. Learners will be able to identify and raise key rights in real-life scenarios, feeling confident to push for rights-respecting decision-making from public services.
This course is certified by the CPD Certification Service.
INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE
Embedding Human Rights Legal Duties in Inpatient Mental Health Care
Who's it for? Senior staff who work in mental health inpatient settings in NHS mental health trusts, local authorities and independent mental health services across England and Wales.
Learners will... leave with enhanced knowledge and confidence to apply the Human Rights Act legal framework in practice decisions, including how it works alongside mental health legislation. Learners will be able to identify key rights that are often engaged in mental health hospital settings, with a practical framework to apply human rights law in complex and risk-related situations.
This course is certified by the CPD Certification Service.
SOCIAL HOUSING
Human Rights in the Provision of Social Housing
Who's it for? Advocates, charities, and voluntary or third sector groups supporting people who live in social housing.
Learners will... be able to identify housing services with legal duties to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, gaining knowledge and confidence to ensure that social housing tenants' are treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
Click here to visit the course homepage and register your interest in our next delivery.
REDUCING RESTRICTIVE PRACTICE - coming soon
A Human Rights-Based Approach to Reducing Restrictive Practice
Who's it for? Senior staff working in NHS, local authority, and independent service teams where restrictive practices are used, across inpatient and community settings. There are eight types of restrictive practice identified by NHS England: cultural, surveillance, blanket restrictions, mechanical, physical, chemical, psychological and environmental.
Learners will... gain practical knowledge and skills to apply their Human Rights Act legal duties within the context of restrictive settings, building confidence and capacity to make rights-respecting decisions in practice and to raise a human rights issue effectively.
Coming soon! Click here to register your interest in BIHR's Human Rights Open Course on Reducing Restrictive Practice.
SEND - coming soon
Using human rights to support families of children with SEND
Who's it for? Small community organisations supporting parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and SENDIAS services.
Learners will... feel confident to identify human rights issues within SEND decisions and raise concerns with schools, local authorities, health and social care providers, and other public authorities. Learners will be able to access practical advocacy tools, contributing to more transparent, participatory and rights-respecting decision-making in practice.
Coming soon! Click here to register your interest in BIHR's Human Rights Open Course in SEND Advocacy.