Witness Familiarisation Training
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Court Accompaniment Training
Enhance your court accompaniment skills with our comprehensive training course. Learn how to support clients or patients through the legal process.
295
Online / In Person
1 day
About this course
Do you accompany and support your clients in attending court? This one day interactive training session has been designed to provide you with a clear insight into the legal framework within which you will operate when accompanying your client to court.
You will be looking at the relevant law, procedures and rules of evidence that may impact on your client. You will also be learning and applying best practice in court accompaniment and learning by doing from. You will receive feedback and support from your peers and the trainer.
Why choose this course
This course offers practical, hands-on training led by experienced legal professionals, giving participants the confidence to support clients effectively in Irish court settings. It focuses on real-world scenarios, small group learning, and up-to-date guidance on court procedures, confidentiality, and special measures.
Practical, hands-on training rather than passive lectures: you will actively role-play, engage in exercises, and receive feedback tailored to your case scenarios.
Delivered by legal practitioners and trainers with real courtroom experience: bridging theory and real-world practice.
Small group format ensures individual attention and allows you to ask questions and explore complex issues.
Course syllabus
Key learning points:
- Understand our legal and court system,
- Understand the jurisdiction of the courts,
- Learn about criminal offences and criminal procedure,
- Learn about case procedure and trial procedure,
- Understand the “in camera rule”,
- Be aware of the special measures for complainants,
- Be clear on the District Court procedure,
- Be clear on Central Criminal Court procedure,
- Understand witnesses and evidence,
- Be able to give guidance to a witness attending court,
- Understand the issues around confidentiality, disclosure of notes,
- Write clear, intelligible records/notes.
Who should attend:
This course is ideal for professionals who support or advise clients in court settings, including (but not limited to):
- Victim support workers and advocates.
- Social workers and caseworkers.
- Legal assistants and paralegals.
- Non-profit or NGO staff involved in client representation.
- Witness coordinators or liaison officers.
- Professionals who accompany clients through criminal, district, or central court proceedings.
You do not need legal training to benefit, participants from non-legal backgrounds will gain clarity on court process and evidence rules. However, a basic familiarity with criminal procedure is helpful.
What our clients say:
“In Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, we accompany people who have been affected by sexual violence to a number of different settings – including to court. As you can imagine, it can be a very daunting and traumatic prospect for someone to find themselves in a very unfamiliar setting like the Courts. In order to try to ease the burden on the victim / survivors during a trial, we offer them accompaniment for the duration of their time in Court.
This is where the Court Accompaniment Training with La Touche Training comes into the process for us. It offers our volunteers, therapists and others within DRCC the opportunity to gain increased confidence and real practical knowledge around accompanying people through a trial. We’ve been lucky enough to have worked with a highly experienced and knowledgeable trainer, Martin Fitzgerald BL, who has expertly led the last number of training sessions and has given the participants greater confidence when it comes to negotiating the essential and practical aspects of the court process.
For our therapists in particular, the training is invaluable as it can provide them with vital information to support their work with clients. Overall, the informative and practical content of the training covers real-life scenarios and the kind of knowledge needed to navigate the court system effectively.”
Celine Newman, Accompaniment Co-ordinator, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
Your Trainer – Our expert trainers
La Touche Training Legal Experts
We work with a wide panel of specialist trainers, all chosen based on their experience and knowledge, experience both in practice and as trained trainers. The majority of our trainers are experienced...
Read BioPractical training with small groups to ensure quality.
Our training sessions are not lectures—they're practical, interactive experiences. The small group format allows every attendee to ask questions, take part in discussions involving practical exercises and role-plays.
This method of training allows attendees to put the skills learned into practice immediately. Course participants benefit from the focused attention and guidance of an independent expert.
Available dates
Please contact us for further details.
# SELECTED
| Course Dates | Location | Price | Spaces Left | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20/10/26 i 20/10/2026 09:30 - 13:00 | Zoom Online | €295.00 | 11 |
Court accompaniment can help ease the stress of legal proceedings
FAQs
Court accompaniment training is a 1-day session designed to guide participants into the legal framework of accompanying clients to court. It’s essential for professionals who provide support services to victims, witnesses, or vulnerable individuals attending legal proceedings, including social workers, victim support workers, and youth diversion project staff.
The court accompaniment training is a 1-day session. Participants have praised the course for being ‘not too long’ whilst remaining engaging and comprehensive, providing all the expected information within this timeframe.
The training covers the legal framework for court accompaniment, the roles of various people in the court system, court procedures and processes, and practical guidance on how accompaniment services work. The course provides essential knowledge about the legal system and how to effectively support clients during court proceedings.
The training is delivered by qualified legal professionals, including barristers with practical court experience. Participants have specifically noted the value of having ‘a barrister whom conducted the training’ as it provides authentic insights from someone actively working within the legal profession.
Yes, the training is designed for professionals at all levels, including those new to court accompaniment work. The course is structured to provide foundational knowledge about legal procedures and is particularly valuable for those who may be unfamiliar with court environments and processes.
La Touche Training works with a panel of specialist trainers chosen for their practical experience and knowledge, with the majority being experienced legal practitioners. All trainers have experience both in practice and as trained professional trainers, ensuring participants receive guidance from qualified experts.
Yes, court accompaniment services extend across various court levels including District Courts, Circuit Courts, and higher courts. The training covers accompaniment for different types of cases, including criminal proceedings, civil matters, and specialised cases involving vulnerable witnesses or young defendants.
Participants learn how to provide informal support and explanations of court procedures to clients, understand the roles of different court personnel, and develop skills to help clients navigate the complexities of court appearances. The training focuses on practical guidance rather than legal advocacy or representation.
Court accompaniment involves providing emotional support and explaining court procedures in layperson’s terms, but does not include advocacy or legal representation. The accompaniment role is to be present as a support person and help witnesses understand what is happening during proceedings, whilst legal representation remains the role of qualified solicitors or barristers.
Participants consistently rate the training as ‘very good’ and ‘excellently delivered’. They particularly appreciate having experienced barristers as trainers, the engaging format, and the practical approach that breaks down complex legal processes into manageable sections, making the training both informative and accessible.
