The first joint practice conference for fostering and residential childcare
CHA and NAFP will explore cross cutting practice themes and facilitate a shared vision for children and young people
Both residential and foster care provide life changing care for society’s most vulnerable children. But these vital and complimentary parts of the care continuum operate in silos. For the first time ever, and at a time of national sufficiency crisis, the Children’s Homes Association (CHA) and Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers (NAFP) have come together to create a joint conference that will explore cross cutting practice themes and facilitate a shared vision for children and young people throughout the care journey.
Conference agenda
9.30am Arrival and registration
10.00am Welcome from conference chair Kathy Evans, Chief Executive, Children England
10.10am Helen Oakwater:
‘The impact of past trauma on behaviour and how to move forward'
10.40am Dr Mine Conkbayir:
'How knowledge of neuroscience can help your work with children'
11.30am Clair Davies MBE:
‘The essential components that can make care therapeutic’
Midday - panel discussion: Exploring shared themes in fostering and residential care.
12.30pm - 1.15pm Lunch and networking
1.15pm - 2.45pm Workshop sessions:
Workshop 1: De-escalation and restraint - learn practical tools to prevent and de-escalate challenging situations safely, and reduce the need for restraint, its severity and duration (Dr Jennifer Kilcoyne - Restraint Reduction Network Specialist Advisor for England)
Workshop 2: Missing from care - how can we safeguard vulnerable children and young people without over- involving the Police in their lives? (Alan Rhees-Cooper, Staff Officer to the National Police Chiefs Council Lead for Missing People)
2.45pm - 3.15pm Refreshment break
3.15pm Andy and Matt Smith
Hear from care-experienced brothers and now directors of the award-winning 'Smash Life'.
4.20pm Closing remarks
4.30pm Close
Keynote speakers:
Helen Oakwater
Helen is an international trainer and keynote speaker on adoption, fostering, parenting maltreated children, future proofing children and the challenges Facebook brings to adoption and fostering. She is author of "Bubble Wrapped Children: How social networking is transforming the face of 21st Century adoption" & Want to Adopt: How to prepare yourself to parent a child from the care system. Helen is the creator of Trauma Triggered Behaviour workshop, an NLP Trainer & mBIT Master Coach Executive & Personal NLP Coach working with 'people who think big' to achieve robust outcomes and delicious futures, using courage, compassion and humour. Helen has much experience at helping adult clients dump historical trauma and 'crap' (Charged Reactive Angry Particles) by creating a secure base to examine old hurts from a safe distance to get fresh perspectives and release stuck emotional responses
Dr Mine Conkbayir
Dr Mine Conkbayir is an award-winning author and trainer. She has worked in the field of early childhood education and care for over 20 years and co-authored Early Childhood Theories and Contemporary Issues (Bloomsbury, 2014) and Early Childhood and Neuroscience: Theory, Research and Implications for Practice, 2nd Edition (Bloomsbury, 2021). Mine’s work helps practitioners apply theoretical knowledge from neuroscience to inform their work with children.
Smash Life
Andy and Matt Smith are brothers and Directors of Smash Life who were abused “after” being placed by social services into the care system. After years of having to deal with the effects of their traumatic abuse the Smith brothers went on to have great success at university, employment, various sporting teams, numerous music projects and in life. Today their award-winning company provides inspirational talks, group work, mentoring and more to young people and professionals to help them ‘Smash Life’ too. Not only are Smash Life inspiring experts by experience, their presentations are grounded in evidence based practice.
We welcome offers of support for this first national event. Supporters will be acknowledged on the conference booking page (including a website link to their home page) and will be invited to bring a (1m wide) banner to be displayed at the event (£250).