CoramBAAF Members' Week | Challenges and complexities in kinship care planning

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THEME

A webinar led by our kinship care consultants, Ann Horne and Clare Seth, exploring the challenges and complexities of care planning in kinship care. In the webinar, Ann and Clare will map out the care planning journey from early identification of potential carers to securing legal permanence. They will explore the challenges including assessment, regulations and guidance but also offer suggestions for good practice.

PRESENTERS

Ann Horne, Kinship Care Consultant, CoramBAAF.

Ann joined CoramBAAF in February 2022 alongside jobshare partner, Clare. Ann has been a local authority social worker in children's services for 20 years. She has worked in kinship care for the last 14 years and for 7 of these co-managed a dedicated kinship care team in Brighton and Hove. Ann contributed to the development of best practice models within the Brighton and Hove Team, and some of her work locally later contributed to wider national policy developments around kinship assessments. Ann also took a lead in developing comprehensive kinship support services, ensuring kinship carers in Brighton and Hove were well served by a range of available supports. 

Clare Seth, Kinship Care Consultant, CoramBAAF.

Clare joined CoramBAAF in February 2022 alongside jobshare partner, Ann. Clare is a qualified social worker with over 20 years’ experience in Children’s Services. She has managed a children’s social work team in Brighton & Hove, helping to implement a new relationship-based practice model as well as previously having responsibility for staff in fostering and fostering support teams. Clare has worked as a freelance social worker for the last four years, specialising in Kinship and adoption assessment and support as well as working as an independent auditor for an IFA. Clare is a qualified trainer with experience of delivering the Separated Parents Information Programme in Sussex. 

Sean Haresnape, Practice Lead, Family Group Conference & Lifelong Links.

Sean has worked for the Family Rights Group for 18 years and has led the development of family group conference (FGC) practice and related project work. He has managed the National FGC Network involving FGC services across England. More recently he has been the practice lead for the development of Lifelong Links which is now operational in 32 local authority settings. The approach aims to build a lasting support network for and with children in the care system.  

Sean had managed Family Rights Group’s development of a national accreditation framework for family group conference services in collaboration with the National FGC Network. Sean has also led on the development of a post graduate certificate in FGC coordination in partnership with the University of Chester and now with the University of Salford. Sean contributed to Family Rights Group’s exploration of local authority practice when working with fathers and contributed to the resulting three publications. 

Prior to joining Family Rights Group, Sean, who is a qualified social worker, had managed three different FGC projects in child welfare, including a youth justice project and an FGC service working with families living with HIV.

Jessica Johnston, Children's Law Solicitor and Legal Adviser, Family Rights Group.

Jessica specialised in public children law for over ten years, and before joining Family Rights Group in 2019 worked in a specialist family law firm in London. Jessica has a particular interest in kinship care, and in working to use the law to ensure more children can live safely within their family. Jessica takes a leading role in Family Rights Group’s legal work in relation to family group conferences, and Lifelong Links, an approach developed by Family Rights Group which aims to ensure that a child in care has a positive support network around them to help them during their time in care and into adulthood. Jessica regularly contributes to training for lawyers and social work practitioners in relation to these models. Jessica also works within Family Rights Group’s policy team to advise on matters including legal aid reform and financial support for special guardians and supports the advice and advocacy service through the development of legal materials.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The session is aimed at foster carers, adopters, care experienced individuals, children’s services, social workers, supervising social workers, managers and anyone interested in exploring the challenges and complexities of care planning in kinship care.  

For social workers, reflection on this session may contribute to your continuing professional development (CPD).

MEMBERS' WEEK

For many years we held an annual members' day to give our members, our staff and invited speakers the opportunity to share views on the most pressing issues facing family placement services.  

Last year, we devoted a whole week to member engagement activities and it was such a success we decided to do it again! Over the course of the week, we will explore key topics and best practices that mirror the journey of children and young people through the care system. The theme for this year's Members' Week is taken from our publication, A child’s journey through placement.