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Getting started in permanence….sign up to our breakfast briefing sessions

  • Date:

Everyone’s social work journey is different, but it is often only when you are embedded with a team that focuses on a specific practice area that you really get to understand it. That is why we are running a series of six introductory sessions on the basics of kinship care, fostering and adoption.

The sessions are aimed at students, newly qualified social workers, recently qualified social workers, those returning to social work or just those simply wishing to find more out about a practice area they are interested in. Part of the rationale behind this series is that we think these areas of practice are hugely important and we want to make them as accessible as they can be to all social workers. That is why they are free of charge and available to everyone (whether you are a member or not!).

The six areas we will cover are: 

Each session is under an hour on a Wednesday morning running from 22 May through to 26 June and will be led by one of our expert consultants who will bring to life the law, practice, policy and basic principles of social work in each area that you are interested in. The sessions can count towards your CPD and re-registration as a social worker.  

If you want more information after the events then CoramBAAF runs practice forums on fostering, adoption and kinship care for members to keep up to date with latest developments, network and share knowledge. 

What do we want you to do? 
  • Take some time to consider a practice area you aren’t so confident in and sign up to the relevant session (or come to all of them if you can!) 
  • Share this with your colleagues or your team - you never know who may be interested. 
My personal reflection 

I spent a lot of time getting to know social work by doing. I remember my first viability assessment, my first interaction with a fostering team and their processes; with kinship carers and wider family networks and with children when they started on the legal journey to become adopted. I remember my first time in court….eeek, and I remember filling out my first initial health assessment form. I remember my first ever visit to a family as a student! I was supported by experienced colleagues and managers when I first started but I still would have found it helpful to have a refresher about the basics of core practice areas and why we do things in certain ways. 

So, if there is anything you want to know more about in terms of kinship care, fostering or adoption – start your journey here. We look forward to seeing you and colleagues over the coming weeks. 

James Bury, Head of Policy, Research and Development, CoramBAAF.