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This course is an opportunity to consider what we know about staying in touch from research, including what works well, the voices of those with lived experience, and aspects that may present challenges or need more support.

The good practice guide, Safeguarding children living with foster carers, Adopters and Special Guardians: Learning from case reviews 2007–2019, is based on a UK wide study of 52 case reviews concerning 98 children who had experienced serious harm while living with foster carers, adopters or special guardians. The study spans 12 years and is the first to focus exclusively on reviews of cases of children in alternative family care. It shines a spotlight on those issues particular to these children – selection and assessment of carers; support for children and carers; and the supervision and management of arrangements.

This half day course is aimed at professionals who work with children and families who may benefit from a therapeutic intervention and would like to increase their understanding of different therapeutic approaches. Foster carers, kinship carers and adoptive parents who are considering different options for therapeutic support may also benefit from this training.

Long-term foster care is rarely mentioned as a positive option; yet, for a significant group of vulnerable children, growing up in a long-term foster family is their best chance of a secure family life. This research study provides a fascinating insight into the experiences of 58 children, their foster carers, a sample of their birth parents and their social workers.

Foster carers are increasingly being asked to care for a parent and their child during care proceedings, and to contribute towards the assessment of parenting capacity. This type of arrangement is complex, involving different tasks and responsibilities.

Our social work practice must be guided by the values and principles of anti-racist practice and cultural humility. This means embedding them into all aspects of our work with families, bringing self-awareness of our own biases, assumptions and privileges, and centering families’ lived experience. 

This course is an opportunity to understand key concepts and consider why anti-racist practice and cultural humility matter. You will be supported to explore how you can build relationships with families that honour diverse perspectives and recognise unique needs, and explore tools to enable you to better understand the identities of children and their families. You will then consider how this understanding can be applied to your practice to develop culturally appropriate assessments and interventions that reflect the lived realities of children and families and take account of their intersecting identities.

Essential reading for newly qualified social workers

FREE FOR MEMBERS
Join our Kinship Consultants Ann Horne and Clare Seth for a session exploring how kinship families can be supported to enable children to stay in touch with the important people in their lives. Using case studies from their own practice experience, Clare and Ann will reflect together on the uniqueness of each kinship family, what support was needed, and what worked.

FREE FOR MEMBERS
Virtual Schools have been a feature of the landscape in Scotland since 2019 and England since 2014 yet a series of recent publications have pointed towards a poor understanding of the valuable work they carry out. This session is an opportunity to hear from the Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection (CELCIS) in Scotland and the National Association of Virtual School Heads (NAVSH) in England on how virtual schools support care experienced children and young people.