Please note that this event is now finished

Looked After Children: Improving Life Chances

  • Wednesday, 05 December 2018
  • Pendulum Hotel & Manchester Conference Centre
  • 08:30 - 16:30
130
Conference
Attendees
8
CPD
Credits
10
Expert Speakers
20
Sponsors & Supporters
  • Confirmed Speakers

  • Event Programme

08:30

Registration and Coffee in the Networking Area

09:25

Chair’s Opening Address

  • Joanna Hunt, Area Manager, Greater Manchester, Children's Society (confirmed)
09:30

Keynote Address

  • Steve McCabe MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Looked After Children and Care Leavers (confirmed)
"Bright Futures - Providing Equal Opportunities for Children in Care"

Children in care have the same right as any other young person to feel safe, secure and happy. Their hopes for the present and expectations for future success should not be diminished because of the circumstances in which they find themselves.

09:50
  • Eleanor Briggs, Head of Policy and Research, Action for Children (confirmed)
"Exploring the Reasons Why Record Numbers of Children are in Care?"

Recent data from the Department of Education shows a continuing rise in the number of children in care. On the 31 March 2018 there were over 75,000 children in care, an increase of 4% from the year before, and 17% since 2010. This presentation explores the reasons behind this trend and looks at key factors for policymakers to consider.

 

10:10

Dr Clare Nuttall, Team Manager, Solar LAC Team, Solar, Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust (confirmed) 

Kate Bunting, Operations and Community Engagement Manager, Solihull Library Service, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (confirmed)

"Improving Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing in Partnership: The Chelmsley Wood Reading Den"

The Chelmsley Wood Reading Den is a library-based resource of books, audio-CDs, and DVDs, specifically chosen to support the needs of looked after and adopted children and young people and their carers and parents. Delivered in partnership between the Solihull Library Service and Solar, the emotional wellbeing and mental health service for children and young people in Solihull, the Reading Den aims to offer specialist resources in an accessible and non-stigmatising setting. These resources include books to educate and inform foster carers and parents, as well as books for children and caregivers to read together to help nurture relationships and support children’s emotional wellbeing through facilitating conversations about thoughts feelings and experiences, both ordinary and more difficult.

10:30

Case Study

  • Emma Popo, Implementation Manager, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) (confirmed)
  • Tracey Swithenbank, Consultant Social Worker, The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) (confirmed)
"Making the right decision for looked after children – an evidence informed framework"

How do we make the right decisions for children and young people in care? What are the challenges when considering the return home for a Looked After child or young person? Return home practice remains an area that could benefit from more focus and discussion. This session will share personal experiences of using the Reunification Practice Framework with families and consider the benefits and challenges when implementing the framework across an organisation.

10:50

Question and Answer Session

11:00

Coffee in the Networking Area

11:45
  • Carol Hardy, Senior CAMHS Clinical Specialist, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (confirmed)
  • Elizabeth Murphy, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist , South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (confirmed)
"Social-Emotional Assessment and Intervention for Looked After Children, 0-4 years – Findings from Clinical Research Studies within a LAC CAMHS Team."

In both a pilot project (2010-11) and follow up feasibility study (S.U.S.I; 2014-17), an infant mental health assessment and intervention model was developed and delivered in an assertive outreach approach to Looked After babies, young children and their parents/carers. Target populations included children who were: Looked After; on a Child Protection Plan; and children of parents engaged with mental health services.
A description of the type and level of social-emotional, relational and general developmental difficulties identified will be presented, along with intervention outcomes and models of inter-agency work across Social Care, Health and 3rd Sector).

 

12:05
  • Nancy Sayer, Designated Consultant Nurse for Looked After Children - Kent, Thanet CCG (confirmed)
"Considering the Needs and Best Interests of Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children"

The needs and circumstances of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children share many of the characteristics of other looked after UK children but in many other respects they are quite different. Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are not only separated from their family but also from their community and country of origin and are seeking refuge from political, cultural, religious or other forms of persecution including armed conflict and war. 

12:25

Young people who have experience of being in care, The Children's Society (confirmed)

"Our Top Tips"

Top ten tips to making life in care a great experience. The three young people will deliver their tips and ask these to be embedded across organisations.

12:45

Question and Answer Session

13:00

Lunch in the Networking Area

14:00

Chair’s Afternoon Address

14:05

Panel Debate

Joanna Hunt, Area Manager, Greater Manchester, Children's Society  (confirmed)

Peter McNamara, Virtual School Headteacher (Interim), Virtual School Rotherham, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (confirmed)

Phil McVay, Managing Director, ClearCare   (confirmed)

 

"Co Operation, Communication, Collaboration"

This panel debate will discuss how cooperation can be improved, address the barriers that hinder multi-agency communication and explore how to overcome the challenges of collaborative working to deliver improved outcomes for children.

14:45
  • Peter McNamara, Virtual School Headteacher (Interim), Virtual School Rotherham, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (confirmed)
"Virtual Schools"
15:05

Main Sponsor

  • Ruth Davies, Head of Looked After Call, Looked After Call (Contact Group) (confirmed)
"Integrated Solutions to Improve Communications"

With reduced resources and increasing demand for data, having all your systems in one place reduces the time spent duplicating data and the possibility of data handling errors. Working together to increase communication between stakeholders to improve learning outcomes for LAC.

15:25

Question and Answer Session

15:30

Afternoon Refreshment Break

15:40
"Supporting Care Leavers "

At 18, young care leavers are more likely to not be in employment, education or training, be socially excluded or homeless or have come into contact with the criminal justice system. Making the transition to independent living can be challenging and there is a danger of these young people slipping through gaps between services. Support is needed to ensure care leavers have the necessary skills to successfully move on with their lives.

16:00
"Hear Our Voice"

What is it like to be a child taken into care? Whilst professionals and statutory bodies make decisions in good faith, it is the children and young people who are most qualified to describe their experiences and explain their needs and wants.

16:20

Question and Answer Session

16:30

Chair’s Closing Remarks and Event Close

  • Register for event

You can no longer register for this event
  • Contact Details
  • News
  • Sponsors
  • Supporters
  • Venue
  • Featured Events
  • Downloads
  • Who will attend

Contact Details

News

  • Importance of Schools in the Children and Young People’s Mental Health System

    • Posted on 01 December 2017
    • by Professor Dame Sue Bailey OBE
  • Improving the Whole Children and Young People’s Mental Health System

    • Posted on 25 November 2016

Sponsors

Supporters

Venue

Pendulum Hotel & Manchester Conference Centre

Pendulum Hotel & Manchester Conference Centre

Pendulum Hotel & Manchester Conference Centre is the ideal solution when searching for conference venues in Manchester. Top-of-the-range conference suites, 3 star value hotel accommodation, delicious dining and friendly service are the ideal components for a successful conference or event in the heart of the city centre.

The 18 conference rooms are decked out with all the mod cons including state-of-the-art AV technology, projectors and screens, free Wi-Fi and flip charts. Our clients cover the whole spectrum and include government organisations, trade unions, large corporate companies, non-profit organisations, health and education sectors and small to medium-sized businesses.

From the get-go we strive for excellence in everything we do and our dedicated team of conference professionals go all out to make sure your conference, event or exhibition runs like clockwork.

Featured Events

  • Safeguarding Children: Finding Solutions for Better Protection

    • 24 May 2018
    • 08:30 - 16:30
    • The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
  • Safeguarding Children: Effective Collaboration for Child Protection and Wellbeing

    • 11 May 2017
    • 08:30 - 16:30
    • The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
  • Children and Young People's Mental Health: Improving Care, Treatment and Support

    • 12 December 2017
    • 08:30 - 16:30
    • The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
  • Children and Young People’s Mental Health: Promoting Integration and Early Intervention

    • 08 December 2016
    • 08:30 - 16:30
    • Pendulum Hotel & Manchester Conference Centre
  • Safeguarding Children: Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation

    • 22 April 2015
    • 08:30 - 13:30
    • The Place Aparthotel, Manchester
  • Children and Young People's Mental Health: Providing Effective Support

    • 03 July 2018
    • 08:30 - 17:00
    • The Royal National Hotel, London
  • Children and Young People’s Mental Health: Taking Early Action

    • 06 July 2017
    • 08:30 - 16:30
    • The Royal National Hotel, London

Downloads & Resources

  • Open Forum Events Sponsorship Brochure
    Open Forum Events offer a number of partnership, sponsorship and exhibition opportunities that can meet your marketing and business development needs.
  • Presentations LAC.zip
    Presentations LAC.zip

who will attend

  • 14-19 Partnership Teams
  • Academics and Researchers
  • Director/Heads Adoption and Fostering Agencies
  • Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinators
  • Asylum and Immigration Officers
  • CAFCASS
  • Care Leavers Champions
  • Central Government Departments and Agencies
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Practitioners
  • Child and Educational Psychologists
  • Child Protection and Safeguarding Teams
  • Child Protection Officers
  • Children’s Health Service Professionals
  • Children’s Services Officers
  • Heads of Children’s Trusts and Children’s Centres
  • Commissioning Managers
  • Community and Voluntary Organisations
  • Community Development Managers
  • Director/Heads Connexions and Jobcentre Plus
  • Director/Heads Corporate Parenting Boards
  • Designated Nurses and Health Advisors for Children in Care
  • Director/Heads Local Education Authorities
  • Director/Heads Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards
  • Director/Heads Local, Regional and National Health Services
  • Director/Heads Looked After/Children in Care Teams
  • Director/Heads NEET Strategy Teams
  • Director/Heads Permanency Teams
  • Director/Heads Regional Adoption Agencies
  • Director/Heads Welfare Rights Organisations
  • Directors/Heads of Children and Young People’s Services
  • Domestic Violence Co-ordinators
  • Director/Heads Drug and Alcohol Action Teams
  • Early Years and Childcare Practitioners
  • Education and Welfare Officers
  • Education Providers
  • Director/Heads Employment and Training Services
  • Families Services Officers
  • Family Intervention Project Workers
  • Family Pathfinder Workers
  • Family Placement Teams
  • Family Support and Outreach Team Leads
  • Heads of Children’s Strategy Members of Health and Wellbeing Boards
  • Director/Heads Homelessness Teams
  • Director/Heads Housing Service Providers
  • Local Authority Officers and Councillors
  • Looked-After Children Team Managers
  • Members of Police and Fire Service
  • Mental Health Practitioners
  • Post Adoption Support Services Leads
  • Psychotherapists
  • Residential Children’s Home Managers
  • School Nurses and Health Visitors
  • Schools, Colleges and Further Education Providers
  • Social Workers and Social Services Officers
  • Director/Heads Supported Housing Teams
  • Teachers and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators
  • Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinators
  • Third Sector Representatives
  • Youth Inclusion Teams
  • Youth Workers and Youth Offending Teams