Parental Domestic Abuse, Substance Misuse and Parental Mental Illness Training
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This Parental Domestic Abuse, Substance Misuse and Parental Mental Illness Training Course was formerly known as Trio of Vulnerabilities and Toxic Trio. The toxic trio can affect people of all ages including children, young people and adults and our CPD approved online course describes the impact of it, what it means and its effects. The training course uses real-world scenarios so you can apply the knowledge in everyday life.
Course Level: Intermediate
4 Modules (Duration: 4 CPD Hours)
Accreditation: CPD Certified
Certificate: Self-Printed Certificate
Last Updated: 3rd October 2025
Description
The Toxic Trio describes the massive impact that domestic abuse, parental mental health issues, and parental substance abuse can have on both vulnerable children, young people and the parents themselves.
This course will help the learner define what the toxic trio means and its effects. This will help to guide learners on how to deal with suspected toxic trio cases
This trio of vulnerabilities course contains information and resources to enable practitioners to define and identify the effects of such abuse and act accordingly.
This toxic trio training course covers the following:
- Definition of the Toxic Trio itself: domestic abuse, parental mental ill-health, parental substance abuse
- Statistics, facts and figures, and research into the Toxic Trio
- The impact the Toxic Trio can have on children, and on adults’ parenting ability
- NICE guidelines about alcohol misuse and drug misuse
- Vulnerabilities for substance misuse
- The risk and impact to children and adolescents: health, increased vulnerability, and development
- Guidance, how to assess risk, strengths-based practice, information sharing and interventions
- Working Together
This toxic trio safeguarding training course uses immersive real-world scenarios to help professionals apply knowledge to everyday life. These real-world scenarios and the supporting case studies will enable learners to see how their training can apply to them in their role.
A key aim of this training is to provide learners with a strong context for the training so they can easily relate to the situations presented to them within the training.
What training can I do next?
When working with children, young people and vulnerable adults, it is essential to ensure your safeguarding knowledge is fully up to date and that you meet the latest requirements.
Our Safeguarding Everyone Level 2 and Safeguarding Everyone Level 3 Training courses are perfect to expand your knowledge.
What you'll learn
- Understand what is meant by ‘Toxic Trio’ and the risks associated with this
- Identify how the Toxic Trio can be an indicator of risk or need for safeguarding
- Be able to define parental substance misuse and the impact on children
- Identify safeguarding concerns
- Understand parental mental health and identify different types of mental illness that can affect parents
- Describe the effects of poor mental health on parents and children
- Signpost services and professionals that can support parents
Suitable for
- Teachers
- Teaching Assistants
- School Support Staff
- Administrators
- Social Workers
- Volunteers
Course Structure
Previously, parental domestic abuse, substance misuse and parental mental ill health were referred to as the ‘toxic trio' or the ‘trio of vulnerabilities’. The course starts by defining domestic abuse, parental substance misuse and parental mental ill-health. The prevelance of these issues has been recognised for a long time and the course looks at the extent of the issues and the impact of them on children and adults. This part ends by explaining Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and interactive challenge to check your knowledge.
Certification
Self-Printed Certificate Option
Upon completion of the course, a digital certificate will be available to download instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Toxic Trio describes the massive impact domestic abuse, parental mental health issues and parental substance abuse can have on both vulnerable children, young people and the parents themselves. These issues often co-exist, particularly in families where significant harm to children has occurred. You can learn more about it here.
Recent Reviews
12th December 2025
Timely
Timely, with minimal delay in being able to access the course at a time that suited me. The modules flowed into each other smoothly, and I could soon see the practical benefit of the knowledge gained.
11th December 2025
Easy to study
The course was easy to follow. Easy to register Easy to study
11th December 2025
Easy to access
Easy to access, all relevant information available
8th December 2025
Booking was easy the website had all…
Booking was easy the website had all the information I needed so once I booked the package I then received notification to allocate the spaces, which again was really simple to do, our staff will be doing this training on the January training day, but if they wanted to do it before they now could so for staff who work part time it's perfect.
8th December 2025
Easily accessible.
Easily accessible.
7th December 2025
Virtual College courses often come with accredited certificates, which can help with career progression or meeting workplace requirements.
. My experience was greatly enhanced by being able to find exactly what I needed. Virtual College is providing us with valuable opportunities to continue our professional development.
6th December 2025
Easy instructions
Easy instructions
6th December 2025
Virtual college as made me more…
Virtual college as made me more confident
4th December 2025
Don't rush
Ease of layout, also can revert back should you be unsure of content of lesson and there is the ability to make notes on the system although I still use paper and pen.88
3rd December 2025
My overall experience was great.
My experience was great due to the flow and ease of the course. It was interactive and I found it to be enjoyable.
Excellent
4.8 out of 5
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