National Adoption Week Webinars: Children’s Social Care – what part do relationships play in the operation of our children’s social care services?

To see more about how we are celebrating National Adoption Week visit our dedicated page here.

This year the theme of National Adoption Week is maintaining relationships in adoption. We are running three webinars to reflect this. Our second webinar will examine what part do relationships play in the operation of our children’s social care services.

Children’s social care is complex and multi-dimensional system. While its fundamental objective is the safety, welfare and development of children through to adulthood and beyond, many of the issues are affected by the challenge of breaking relationships and then making relationships whether that is with the child’s parents or family of origin or ‘strangers’ who come to be the equivalent of parent/s and family through a variety of legal orders and specific care arrangements. The significance of relationships cannot be underestimated in any of this and that includes relationships with professionals.

This purpose of this webinar is to explore the nature of relationships in children's social care. This includes: 

• What did the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care say about relationships? 
• What does the evidence tell us about relationships? 
• What is the Department for Education doing to support relationships for children placed in kinship care? 

The webinar will be presented by Daniel Foster, Head of Policy & Engagement from the Department for Education and Dr John Simmonds OBE, Director of Policy, Research and Development at CoramBAAF. There will also be an opportunity for discussion and feedback. 

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

PRESENTERS

Daniel Foster is the Head of Policy & Engagement at the Department for Education. Policy lead for  children in care, care leavers, kinship and workforce as part of the Independent Review of Children's Social Care.

Dr John Simmonds OBE, Director of Policy, Research and Development at CoramBAAF, is a qualified social worker and has substantial experience in child protection, family placement and residential care settings. He is currently responsible for CoramBAAF’s contribution to the development of policy and practice in social work, health, the law and research. John’s recent research has focused on unaccompanied asylum seeking children in foster care with the Universities of York and Bedfordshire, a study of 100 women adopted from Hong Kong into the UK in the 1960s with the Institute of Psychiatry and a DfE funded study on Special Guardianship with York University. John sits on the Adoption Leadership Board and the DfE’s Advisory Group on Adoption Support. He was awarded an OBE in the New Year's Honours list 2015.

TIME

Registration 9.20am
Start 9.30am
Close 12.30pm

CONTACT

Telephone 020 7520 7520
Email events@corambaaf.org.uk

BOOKING DETAILS

This is a free event, places are limited, so early booking is recommended.

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