Training for assistant head role

[lurchersforever]

I was promoted to an assistant head role about a year ago, and also had to keep on my middle leader role. That has been hard but I have broadly speaking had a good year I think. However, one thing I really struggle with is the pastoral side of the role. Not dealing with kids and their incidents there and then, but when it comes to dealing with persistently difficult/struggling students and their families I still feel massively out of my depth. I sit in meetings and everyone is spouting out all the acronyms and agencies for referrals and I feel so out of my depth. I was always focused on the academic side of things before this role, and that is the main thrust of my SLT role too but I have this pastoral element too in that I'm attached to a year group, which I do enjoy but I feel like I'm failing at it. I have asked for training but nothing comes of it and things then get passed over my head to the DHT, which makes me feel shit. Any advice would be great - should I just hammer the door down to get training?

I think that the pastoral side often comes from experience and that gut feeling that you develop. In terms of acronyms I doubt there’s a course for that and sometimes you have to just ask in meetings for clarification. That side does come eventually.
are there any local authority newsletter type emails you can sign up to? Your head might know or your office staff. For example I get the one from the SEN team, EAL team, safeguarding and various others. For safeguarding you can also sign up to the Andrew Hall weekly updates for free.