Full Programme

To add any of the sessions below to your booking click on Modify Profile

Monday, March 27, 2023
9:30 AMBuilding emotional resilience as a social work team manager

The aim of this session is to explore internal and external resources that “fill your emotional cup” as team managers.
Attend this session to:
• Learn about the dynamics of relationships
• Understand the power of journalising
• Find out how to create reflective spaces

2:00 PMAttachment based practice with adults

Understanding adult attachment can help professionals improve relationships with people in stress, crisis or behaving in ways that put themselves or others at risk.
Attend this session to:
• Understand: What is adult attachment theory?
• Learn how adult attachment patterns can present in different ways and the implications this has for the professional helping relationship
• Take away some practical strategies to apply in practice

3:30 PMThe return of CQC assessments of council adults’ services: What it means for you

The Care Quality Commission is due to start assessing local authorities’ performance on their adult social care duties from April this year. Find out what this means in practice.
Attend this session to:
• Learn about the standards against which the CQC will assess councils’ performance
• Understand how the CQC will carry out inspections and the extent to which they will examine the practice of social workers and occupational therapists and the support they get to practise well
• Find out about the consequences of poor assessments for local authorities.
 

Tuesday, March 28, 2023
9:30 AMUnderstanding hoarding: a trauma-informed approach

Hoarding is a form of self-neglect. This session will show how understanding trauma boosts understanding of the difficulties experienced by “hoarders” and look at ways to improve engagement.
Attend this session to:
• Understand why people who hoard may seem able to make decisions about their care and support and what this means for capacity assessment
• Explore executive brain function in relation to capacity assessments
• Discover helpful ways to interact with and support people who hoard to help them relinquish hoarding behaviors
 

11:00 AMSponsored session: Partnership and transformation in prevention and early intervention services

Wiltshire Council is working with others on innovative projects focused on prevention and early intervention, including support for children and families with complex needs and community-based support for adults. Attend this free session to:

• Understand the context and approaches of innovative projects and pilots in Wiltshire including work with Research in Practice and the Institute of Public Care/Oxford Brookes University and other community partners

• Consider the learning and recommendations from the projects so far including outcomes for individuals and impact on services

2:00 PMListening and talking to children: Developing emotionally literate relationships in social work practice

This session will highlight the challenges social workers face communicating with children and demonstrate how a specially-designed resource can equip them to practice creatively and effectively.
Attend this session to:
• Understand the challenges social workers experience when communicating with children in everyday practice.
• Recognise the elements of effective communicative practice with children .
• Experience how using Kitbag, a resource for developing children’s emotional and social wellbeing, can build confidence in social work practice with children.
 

3:30 PMPractice Educators: Working with diversity and anti-racist practice with social work students on placement

It is important for practice educators to understand the needs of social work students from Black and global majority backgrounds and ensure appropriate support. This includes looking at biases that can impact your decision making and developing your anti-racist practice.

Attend this session to:

• Develop a better understanding of the issues impacting Black and global majority social work students on placement
• Understand intersectionality and protected characteristics through a race lens
• Look at anti-racist practice strategies you can put into action straight away
 

Wednesday, March 29, 2023
9:30 AMModernising mental health legislation - the new Mental Health Bill

The government has published draft legislation to amend the Mental Health Act 1983 with the intention of reducing use of detention, increasing patient choice and control and addressing racial disparities.

Attend this session to:

• Understand the key aspects of the Bill
• Learn how the reforms will change the Mental Health Act
• Identify next steps
 

11:00 AMSponsored session: Learning not blaming – promoting reflection and critical thinking

This session will look at:

  • How Cafcass encourage and create space for reflection and critical thinking in supervision
  • The importance of learning from when things go wrong
  • Developing group supervision to understand what is unique for this child in these circumstances
3:30 PMTranslating findings from national child protection and sexual abuse reviews into local practice improvements

Explore the findings and recommendations from three national child protection and sexual abuse reviews – including the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse - and how these can improve social work practice.

Attend this session to:

• Understand key learning and development opportunities from these reports

• Consider how they apply to your own practice as a social worker or team manager

• Explore the strategic responses your locality could consider

Thursday, March 30, 2023
9:30 AMProfessional curiosity: Finding meaning in social and emotional responses of children

Is there anything we can do better to uncover hidden harm or neglect? Find out more about the key role of professional curiosity in child protection.
Join this session to:
• Understand the importance of professional curiosity in finding meaning in the social and emotional responses of others
• Learn how certain survival strategies can develop in the context of relational trauma.
• Consider how to break down barriers that get in the way of developing professional curiosity and understanding behaviour
 

12:30 PMThe social worker as a professional witness

This session will help you to prepare and manage your court appearance covering everything from what to wear to how to deliver complex evidence.

Attend this session to:

  • Understand what is required in preparation for your court appearance
  • Learn how to give the best account of yourself and deal with challenging questions
  • Learn how to respond to cross examination
2:00 PMUnderstanding child and adolescent-to-parent violence and abuse

Child and adolescent-to-parent violence remains an under-recognised issue with many families left unsupported. This session aims to equip you with key information to help you support families and young people.

Attend this session to:

• Learn about existing policy and practice and examine how we can improve support for families and young people
• Explore risks factors and indicators of child and adolescent-to-parent violence and abuse
• Find out more about the YUVA project and its impact and key features of best practice
 

3:30 PMOccupational therapy: Maintaining our identity

Occupational therapists (OTs) play a vital role in adult social care. Key challenges for occupational therapy include maintaining our professional identity, purpose and autonomy in an ever-changing workplace environment.
Attend this session to:
• Explore the potential of occupational therapy in adult social care
• Identify practical steps to raise the profile of OTs in social care
• Identify the challenges and benefits of maintaining the OT professional role
 

Friday, March 31, 2023
11:00 AMWorking with adults with executive functioning challenges

Explore the challenges social workers face when working with adults with executive functioning difficulties and gain practical tips/advice on how to work with clients with these needs.

Attend this session to:

  • Understand the challenges of working with adults with executive functioning challenges
  • Gain insight into how executive functioning challenges impact behaviour
  • Learn how you can improve your practice in working with this group
2:00 PMFrom diagnosis to support: Improving understanding and practice for autistic children

Explore some of the key challenges facing autistic children and their families, as well as the most important things professionals need to be aware of and act on.

Attend this session to:

• Understand the main challenges autistic children and their families face getting support
• Explore the variety of needs autistic children might have
• Learn about the most common adaptations and support for autistic children
 

3:30 PMAttention seeking or something more? What is self-harm really all about?

Self-harm is often misunderstood, feared and taboo. This session will help improve understanding, covering what self-harm is, what leads someone to self-harm and a best practice response.
Attend this session to:
• Understand self-harm behaviours, triggers and functions
• Understand the importance of language and the impact of certain phrases commonly used when supporting someone who is self-harming
• How best to support someone who self-harms
 

Friday, April 28, 2023
10:30 AMDeprivation of liberty and the MCA: the way forward

As the government has paused the implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards, it is crucial to understand the existing legal framework governing deprivation of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This includes the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, which aim to provide protection in hospitals and care homes, and recent case law covering matters such as the meaning of deprivation of liberty and when court applications are required.

Attend this session to:

  • Understand the key aspects of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
  • Learn about important case law regarding deprivation of liberty.
  • Identify what happens in the future.

 

1:00 PMCANCELLED: The legacy of Covid for older adults: how to identify and address older people's 'hidden' physical and mental health needs

This presentation is cancelled. This presentation will explore the lasting impact of Covid on the physical and mental wellbeing of older adults and ways to support them to regain confidence and independence.

Attend this session to:

• Understand the impact Covid and de-conditioning has had on the physical and mental wellbeing of older adults
• Gain insights into what support makes a difference to older people affected by alcohol and substance misuse including over-use of prescription medication
• Learn how to recognise the more subtle signs of mental distress in older people and develop your practice to help them regain confidence and independence