Seminar Programme

Discover

Social workers play a crucial role in supporting people experiencing homelessness — not only in responding to crisis, but in helping individuals access long-term stability, dignity and inclusion. This seminar explores how social work can bridge the gap between vulnerable people and the systems designed to support them, through strong partnerships, advocacy and relational practice.

Katherine Hatton will outline her role as Consultant Social Worker for Housing and Homelessness, focusing on how social work practice can connect housing, social care and wider services more effectively. Joined by Luke Morrisson Williams, Rough Sleeper Coordinator, the session will highlight the importance of joint working across agencies and the impact this has on outcomes for individuals.

Using real case examples, Katherine and Luke will demonstrate how collaborative approaches can reduce barriers, improve engagement and support people to move beyond homelessness towards sustainable change.

Katherine Hatton, Consultant Social Worker; and Luke Morrisson Williams, Rough Sleeper Coordinator

Motivate

Home visits are not simple, especially in safeguarding. Entering someone’s home means stepping into their world. It requires sensitivity, self-awareness, and practical preparation.

This seminar explores what happens before you knock, focusing on how practitioners can prepare mentally, emotionally and practically for visits that may carry risk, uncertainty or emotional intensity.

Participants will learn how to take five minutes to plan for safety — including assessing known risks, considering travel logistics and thinking about when to visit alone or with a colleague. The session will also cover communication strategies such as leaving written notes or letters appropriately and ethically, maintaining confidentiality, and providing families with clear, compassionate messages even when contact isn’t made.

Equally important, the seminar will offer grounding and self-regulation techniques that help social workers bring calm and presence into the home. From mindful breathing to managing tone and pace of speech, participants will discover small but powerful ways to build trust and de-escalate tense situations.

This session will equip you with practical tools, reflective strategies and confidence for one of social work’s most complex tasks.

Vicki Shevlin, Trainer

Connect

In this impactful seminar, Kate Beesley, trauma and domestic abuse specialist, advocate, and trainer, unpacks the often-missed psychological patterns that underpin stalking, coercive control, and post-separation abuse.

Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, Kate explores the internal drivers behind perpetrator behaviour, the trauma-informed lens needed to truly understand risk, and the reasons why some of the most dangerous individuals are still being minimised or misunderstood in frontline practice.

You’ll gain practical insight into key risk indicators, behavioural clusters, and safeguarding blind spots, including how language, fear, and professional assumptions can either reduce or escalate harm.

Designed for professionals across adult and children’s services, this session will leave you better equipped to identify invisible risk and take informed, defensible safeguarding decisions in complex case

Kate Beesley, Domestic Abuse Expert

Imagine

Lauren provides expert court reports for parents with a learning disability or who are neuro divergent, assessing with insight from her lived experience, as Lauren is neurodivergent herself. 

Lauren will explore the emergence of neurodiversity over recent years and the key issues for both social workers who are neurodivergent, and the families that we support within social work. This workshop examines what neurodivergence is, the challenges, strengths and key issues within society that impact on ND communities, in particular, social care staff and families. Lauren provides a unique insight into neurodiversity as a social worker, the challenges and superpowers and how ND staff can be supported within their organisations. Lauren has worked intensively with ND families and Local Authorities will know that learning disabilities or neurodiversity is being raised more frequently within care proceedings. Lauren uses case studies, good practice guidance and the law to demonstrate how, with acceptance, understanding and thinking outside the box, parents can be supported to safely care for their children. 

Join this session to find out more about neurodiversity and how you can apply learning to your own practice. 

Lauren Crickmar, Independent Social Worker

Discover

Join this session to explore why race has become such a difficult subject to talk about. Participants will explore what race is and investigate when it started to be used by society and how this journey has shaped modern perceptions and attitudes towards race. In the discussion, Delroy will help you gain a better understanding of the lived experiences of ethnic groups who have experienced institution and systemic discrimination and how this impacts the way they engage with statutory services individually and as communities. 

By the end of the course, learners will have gained a clearer and more confident understanding of how to be culturally competent in their practice. They will understand what race is, why it has been used to categorise people, and how these ideas developed over time. Learners will also explore the impact of systemic racism and how it shapes lived experience, attitudes and engagement with services. In addition, the session will examine common racist narratives, how they are formed, and the ways they continue to influence individuals, institutions and wider society today.

Delroy Madden, Independent Trainer

Innovate

Join Matt and Hannah for a live recording of the popular Relational Social Work Podcast, bringing thought-provoking conversation and real-world practice insight straight to the conference floor.

With relationships at the heart of social work, this special live panel will explore how current social work reforms and the growing use of integrated AI are shaping the future of child and family practice. What opportunities do these changes present — and what risks must the profession navigate to protect relational, ethical and trauma-informed work?

Featuring leading voices from across the sector, including Dr Neil Thompson, Lisa Harris, Mike Hayward and Farai Kanengoni, this session offers a lively, reflective discussion grounded in frontline experience, leadership and critical thinking.

Don’t miss this interactive and forward-looking conversation on the future of social work practice.

Matt Clayton and Hannah Bedford, Social Workers

Motivate

The person in the parenting role is most likely to be the one to have a positive therapeutic impact on the child. Yet, it is unlikely that most foster parents and residential care staff have been trained in the psychological theory to support children. This seminar organises the complex knowledge base from psychological theory and research, into three simple questions: First, ‘What are Amy’s strengths?’ (The positive psychology of strengths). Second, ‘What are Amy’s parenting needs?’ (The multiple psychological theories supporting our eight ‘Pillars of Parenting’ to find current priority parenting needs). Third, ‘Where is Amy on her trauma journey?’ (How to facilitate Amy’s recovery from trauma and achieve post traumatic growth).

Join Colin as he explains how research shows an approach combining the adult’s knowledge of the child with psychology insights, is most effective.

Colin Maginn, Director

Collaborate

Are you a social worker struggling to meet the CPD standards set by Social Work England? Join this masterclass to equip yourself with essential knowledge, practical  tips, and effective tools to help you confidently meet your CPD requirements.

Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced social worker, this masterclass will give you the tools you need to stay on top of your CPD requirements and make the process more straightforward and rewarding.

Facilitated by Dr Carol Stewart, Director Chinara Enterprises Ltd, a registered social worker of over 30 years, who had extensive experience in supporting the learning and development of health and social care professionals at all levels.

Dr Carol Stewart, Social Worker and Director

Connect

Engaging young people in consultation and co-production can be challenging. Come and hear about Staffordshire’s Voice Project who run ten well attended forums every month as well as termly opportunities for children with special educational needs and disabilities and a growing offer for parents with experience of accessing children’s social care services.

Get top tips on how to recruit young people and keep them interested and engaged, how to ensure meaningful participation and co-production and how to measure impact.

Emma Lightfoot, Principal Social Worker, and Members of The Voice Project

Motivate

Social workers should value relationships and believe these are core to everything they do. They recognise that they often must discuss emotionally challenging topics with the people they support. Therefore, this session will cover key messages from research and a range of tools to develop relational practice in this context. 

Hardeep will share real examples and experiences to develop your ability to engage in meaningful conversations in which individuals feel respected and valued. The session will be interactive, and you will leave with some tips from people working on the ground whilst also hearing the voices of people with lived experiences.

Hardeep Sandhu, Team Manager

Imagine

Many parents involved with social services have experienced trauma, whether in childhood or adulthood, which can affect how they think, learn, and respond to support. As a result, many traditional strategies for working with parents are ineffective and genuine long-term changes are not achieved.

There’s a common perception in social work that prioritising parents’ needs might compromise child protection. However, in reality, children thrive when their parents are supported to care for them safely. To make this possible, we need supportive tools and effective strategies that foster real change—not approaches rooted in blame or punishment.

Trauma-informed work isn't about directly addressing trauma. It's about recognising its impact on parents and children and supporting parents in caring for their children safely.

Join the ParentAssess seminar to explore key insights and practical strategies that help parents make meaningful, lasting changes—ensuring better outcomes for children.

Cathy Sharman, Independent Trainer

Discover

This is an evidence-informed session that offers an opportunity for reflection on the possibilities and implications of generative AI and its significance for safeguarding. 

Thinking about the impact of social technologies and generative AI, we’ll examine some practice examples and reflect on implications of AI for identity, relationships, and well-being.

Dr Peter Buzzi, Author

Innovate

Despite their significant influence on children’s safety, wellbeing, fathers are often overlooked, marginalised, or engaged only at points of crisis. This session will consider why this happens and the impact it can have on assessment, planning, and outcomes for children.

The seminar will examine  barriers to father engagement, including professional assumptions, organisational cultures, risk-focused practice, and challenges linked to conflict, separation, or safeguarding concerns. It will also highlight the risks of working around fathers rather than with them.

Participants will be introduced to practical, strengths-based approaches for engaging fathers safely and meaningfully, including curiosity-led conversations, inclusive assessment, and purposeful challenge. Drawing on learning from child protection practice and lived experience, the session will encourage reflection on how practitioners can balance risk management with meaningful involvement.

Linda Hallidae and Sobia Sultana, Founders

Connect

Self-care is more than bubble baths and quick fixes – it’s about building real boundaries that protect your wellbeing and sustain your practice. 

In this workshop, you’ll gain the tools to recognise the difference between surface-level self-care and strategies that truly support you as a professional and a person. Learn how to create healthier patterns, maintain balance, and prioritise your needs without guilt.

Join Vicki for a reflective and empowering session designed to help you thrive in social work, not just survive.

Vicki Shevlin, Trainer

Collaborate

This impactful discussion aligns with current government priorities to tackle the root causes of harm, reduce escalation, and relieve pressure on frontline services.

Moving beyond crisis-led responses, the session explores how trauma-informed practice can be embedded across systems to support earlier intervention, better decision-making, and sustainable safeguarding outcomes. Drawing on real-world case analysis and cross-sector experience, the discussion will identify common blind spots in current practice, highlight where risk is frequently missed, and examine how trauma shapes behaviour across the lifespan, from maternity through to adulthood.

Crucially, the session moves beyond theory into practical implementation. It will explore how reactive systems can unintentionally increase demand, escalate risk, and contribute to workforce pressure, and what can be done differently. Attendees will leave with clear, trauma-informed principles that can be applied immediately within local authority settings to strengthen prevention, improve professional confidence, and reduce repeat harm.

By shifting from crisis response to informed prevention, services can become part of the solution to lasting change, because knowledge really does save lives.

Kate Beesley, Domestic Abuse Expert

Motivate

There is arguably a palpable silence in the national social work press about Independent Social Work and Independent Social Work practice in general. Guidance from the Local Government Association, the Department of Health and Social Care and the profession’s regulator rarely mentions Independent Social Work, despite it being a critical and indispensable component of social work practice with a lot to contribute to the social work profession.

Join Joe Z Mairura as he raises the profile of Independent Social Work and its invaluable contribution to social work practice, as well outlining how, as an Independent Social Worker, you can enjoy the freedom to practice autonomously and flexibly without the constraints of being an employed social worker and yet provide a first-class service your clients, while providing practical information to social work colleagues who may wish to pivot and set up as an Independent Social Worker.

Joe Z Mairura, Independent Social Worker and Leadership Coach

Discover

Conflict, if not well handled, can do untold damage to working relationships, organisational effectiveness and even to the mental health of the individuals involved. However, there are skills and strategies that can be developed to make sure that no one need fear conflict doing so much harm. In some circumstances, conflict can even have positive results. This seminar examines how conflicts arise and how they can be prevented or managed effectively. Successful conflict management can not only prevent or address significant problems but also boost confidence and a sense of security.

Neil Thompson is a qualified mediator with extensive experience of teaching and training about conflict management.

Dr Neil Thompson, Author

Imagine

In this session, Dr Murphy invites participants to understand how they might achieve a mind of their own despite the pitfalls they encounter on their journey through life. He sets aside psychiatric diagnoses and psychological conditions which medicalise and pathologise our feelings, thoughts, and actions. Instead, he focuses on madness as a state of mind we can all experience if distressing and disturbing circumstances conspire to overwhelm us and ‘drive us crazy’. He emphasises that madness is a temporary and not a permanent state of mind, providing we can understand the source of our overwhelming feelings and thoughts, and the reasons for our actions. Becoming conscious of the source of each feeling can then signpost a way through our madness.

Dr Robert Murphy, Author

Connect

This session will give the learner an understanding of what adultification is and the drivers that are behind the behaviours that are attributed to it and how they present in young Black and Asian children. Participants will also examine how notions of adultification are based upon negative societal notions about Black and Asian children. Professionals will then discuss the impact of racial trauma and how it impacts the safeguarding needs of the children involved when they are being assessed by social work teams.

By the end of the session, learners will have a clear understanding of what adultification is and how it manifests in practice. They will explore the impact of racial trauma on Black and Asian children and how this shapes behaviour, wellbeing and engagement with services. Learners will also develop a stronger understanding of how to identify and address the safeguarding needs of Black and Asian children in assessments and interventions. In addition, the session will support professionals to recognise adultification behaviours, understand the societal assumptions that underpin them, and reflect on how these influence decision-making within social work practice.

Delroy Madden, Independent Trainer

Collaborate

Often Social Workers (and other professionals) within Children Services know very little about the Youth Justice System. This stems from the fact many university Social Work programmes do not offer a dedicated Youth Justice module. This means newly qualified Social Workers working with adolescents are ill-equipped to understand the legal complexities of the Youth Justice System. This may result in misunderstanding of a child's bail conditions or their involvement with the Youth Justice Service. A greater understanding will lead to better co-operation between the YJS and Children Services and support plans that complement each other rather than duplicate work. This workshop will help to explain some of the key steps in the process from a child being arrested and charged with an offence, through to the point of sentence.

Dennis Egenamba, Social Work Lecturer and Youth Justice Expert

Innovate

This engaging Q&A session brings together Sophie Gilbert and a panel of Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) from Birmingham Children’s Trust to share honest, real-life reflections on the ASYE year. Through their own voices and experiences, the panel will explore what the first year in practice is really like – from early challenges and learning curves to moments of confidence, growth and achievement.

The session will offer practical insights into professional development during ASYE, including how to make the most of learning opportunities, manage expectations, and build resilience in frontline practice. The NQSWs will also share top tips for interviews and advice for navigating the transition from student to qualified practitioner.

Sophie will outline career progression after ASYE and introduce the developmental pathways available at Birmingham Children’s Trust for social workers starting their careers. The audience will get the opportunity to ask questions and help gain some useful insight into what the ASYE journey entails for those who are newly qualified in social work.

Sophie Gilbert, Head of Service for Learning & Development

Motivate

In the complex world of social care and safeguarding, the difference between a life-changing decision and a missed opportunity often lies in the quality of the evidence. When a family’s narrative is complex and the risks are high, social workers need more than just data—they need clarity.

Join Forensic Testing Service (FTS) for an insightful session on how advanced forensic testing acts as a powerful lens, cutting through the "noise" of difficult cases. We will explore how to move beyond basic lab results to achieve a deeper, more accurate understanding of substance misuse and risk.

Attendees will learn:

Beyond the Result: How to interpret forensic reports to build unassailable, evidence-based care plans.

Integrity in Practice: Why the "chain of custody" and testing methodology are your best defence in court.

Risk vs. Reality: Using the latest hair, alcohol, and DNA insights to verify histories and protect the vulnerable.

Steve Nurdin, Senior Account Manager

Discover

This seminar will provide an overview of the broad context of legal frameworks and practising within the law, with respect to key issues of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Human Rights Act (1998),  and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.  

Join Sandra as she discusses how developing your career can empower professionals to carry out thorough risk assessments, complex decision-making, and consider service user and carer perspectives.

Sandra Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer and CPD Mental Health Courses Lead

Innovate

Social media is part of everyday life – but how can you use it without putting your registration at risk?

This interactive session will help you navigate professional guidelines with confidence, showing you how to share online safely, responsibly and authentically. You’ll explore the opportunities social media offers for social workers, while learning practical strategies to avoid common pitfalls.

Join Vicki to discover how to protect yourself, your career and the people you work with, and to understand the growing role of social media in the future of social work.

Vicki Shevlin, Trainer

Collaborate

What does it really mean to lead consciously in today’s complex and pressured social work environment? This thought-provoking seminar invites practitioners, managers and aspiring leaders to explore the deeper layers of leadership that shape practice, culture and outcomes for people who use services.

Joe Z Mairura, Independent Social Worker and Leadership Coach

Connect

Explore the experiences of male victims of domestic abuse and other forms of harm, and the challenges professionals face in recognising and responding effectively. 

Male victimisation is often under-identified due to gender stereotypes, societal expectations, and professional assumptions about masculinity, risk, and vulnerability. As a result, men may be mislabelled, minimised, or excluded from support and safeguarding processes.

The session will examine how these assumptions can influence assessment, decision-making, and intervention, sometimes leading to unsafe or ineffective outcomes for adults and children. It will consider common barriers to disclosure for men, including shame, fear of not being believed, and concerns about the impact on their children or contact arrangements.

Professionals will be encouraged to reflect on their own practice and organisational responses, exploring how to create safer spaces for disclosure and more balanced, evidence-informed assessments. The seminar will highlight principles for trauma-informed and inclusive practice, alongside practical considerations for engaging male victims with curiosity, respect, and professional challenge.

Linda Hallidae & Sobia Sultana, Founders

Discover

Stress can prove hugely costly in both human and financial terms. Despite this, it has become ‘normalised’ in many organisations – that is, people have come to expect to have to face unreasonable levels of pressure. This seminar clears up some of the myths and misunderstandings around stress – including the fallacy that it is inevitable. It examines the harm it can do and explores ways of keeping pressures within manageable levels to prevent stress; responding appropriately when stress does arise; and supporting people through the aftermath of a stress episode.

Dr Neil Thompson has been writing, teaching and training about stress management for many years. He has had considerable success in helping individuals, teams and whole organisations to rise to the challenges presented by stress.

Dr Neil Thompson, Author

Imagine

This seminar will provide an overview of the practical and legally-grounded CPD course for decision-making and interventions with adults, which focuses on the key statutory frameworks that underpin social work practice.

Sandra will explore the values and principles of the law to reinforce good decision-making and empower professionals working with adults in health, social work and social care, to develop a working knowledge of the Mental Health Act (1983), the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and improve practice where capacity and/or mental disorder are significant considerations.

Sandra Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer and CPD Mental Health Courses Lead