Events archive

FREE FOR MEMBERS
This webinar is designed for local authorities that may be new to the Outbound service and want to find out what we offer and hear some initial guidance on how to approach overseas placements. It is for local authority staff - both social workers and lawyers - who are involved in the placement of children currently living in the UK with kinship carers overseas on all legal orders. We will do a short presentation and then take questions.

Previously Robust analysis and evidence based connected persons & special guardianship assessments

This course is an opportunity to explore personal and professional values and thresholds in relation to kinship carers and explore what good kinship assessment practice looks like. It will include how to robustly assess and analyse strengths and vulnerabilities, and the importance of careful support planning to mitigate assessed risks. It will consider the key principles of best practice in assessment of kinship carers and provide an opportunity to reflect on some of the dilemmas and challenges in achieving permanence for children.

Decision makers in fostering and adoption agencies have a vital but often under-explored role. Many decision makers describe finding themselves in the role with little or no preparation, and with few arenas locally to share dilemmas or discuss best practice. What is the best process for reaching a sound decision? How can you avoid it simply becoming a ‘rubber-stamping’ exercise? What is your role in relation to the quality assurance of the panel’s activities? How should a decision maker appraise a panel chair? What does a reasonable decision look like? How should it be conveyed?

FREE FOR MEMBERS
A large proportion of children entering care are from families who have previously had a child removed from their care: almost half (47%) of all newborns who are subject to care proceedings were born to mothers who had previously been subject to care proceedings regarding their older sibling. Pause is a national charity working to improve the lives of women who have had - or are at risk of having - more than one child removed from their care, and the services and systems that affect them. At this participatory session, we will explore learnings from the past ten years of providing support to parents who have had children removed from their care and set out the case for support services for birth parents.

This course is an opportunity to explore the legal and practice framework of private fostering, including best practice in how to work with this often unseen group of children. It will include explanation of the respective responsibilities of parents, private foster carers and local authorities, when private fostering arrangements are made.

FREE FOR MEMBERS
The issue of the adultification of Black girls in England has received more attention in recent years with the high-profile case of Child Q who was strip-searched by police officers in her school in London. This session covers Sylvia Ikomi's PHD research into the adultification of Black girls in state care and her Churchill Fellowship interviews and focus groups with experts on the topic, as well as professionals, that have observed the dynamics of this issue within their own work in the social care sector.

FREE FOR MEMBERS
Continuing professional development is the heart of our growth as social workers and while we are always learning on-the-job, there is a need to provide evidence and reflection on our learning to Social Work England to maintain our Social Work registration. This session will discuss the importance of social work continuing professional development, what is required by Social Work England and some examples of continuing professional development and peer reflection.

Analysing adult health assessments is a key element of assessing adopters and foster carers. This includes providing reports and evidence-based comments so that panels can reach appropriate decisions. This course is designed to support medical advisers in their role. It is particularly suitable for new or inexperienced medical advisers.

This two-day open course will provide practitioners and particularly those who may be new to undertaking, quality assuring or considering fostering assessments with an opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and practice in completing fostering assessments. This workshop may also provide a refresher for those wanting to reflect and build on knowledge skills and best practice in the completion of fostering assessments.

FREE FOR MEMBERS
This session will outline recent findings that outline the particular and significant needs for LGBTQ+ people when linked to social care. It will also discuss the LGBTQ+ Young People in Social Care (LYPSA) practice briefing that provides a model for explaining their challenges as well as recommendations for improving practice. Presenters Dr Jason Schaub, Dr Willem Stander and a young advisor from the research project Omar Mohamed.