Over the course of the week, we explored key topics and best practices that mirror the journey of children and young people through the care system. The theme for this year's Members' Week is taken from our publication, A child’s journey through placement.
We will be shared questions from our Advice Line, with sample answers to help you improve your practice. Each day we also ran a short surveys on key topics and issues - we have collated your answers and share them with you soon.
Monday | The child
This year’s Members’ Week will explore key topics and best practices that mirror the journey of children and young people through the care system. Take a look at the resources, blogs and more from Monday.
Tuesday | Care planning
Our kinship consultants, Ann Horne and Clare Seth hosted a webinar that explored the challenges of complexities in kinship care planning. Read our blog by Sharon McPherson about 'Learning from Windrush: a kinship care context', and our hand-picked articles from the Adoption & Fostering journal. We also shared our recommended reading and Advice Line Q&A.
Wednesday | Changes
We welcomed our panel to discuss and debate whether 'care experienced' should be a protected characteristic. Alongside our key event, we publish a new podcast episode with our health consultant, Ellie Johnson, who told us what a health assessment is and how they are used.
Thursday | Support
Watch our conversation with Linda Briheim-Crookall as she shares research findings from the Bright Spots Programme, and considers how 16- and 17-year-olds feel they should be supported. Our fostering consultant, Emma Fincham and Rebekah Pierre hosted a workshop about how thinking, speaking and writing about young people directly impacts increasing or decreasing their opportunities, their choices and the decisions available to them.
Friday | Lifelong impact
Augusta Itua, our legal consultant, recoded a podcast episode with Dr Julia Feast OBE. They talk us through the current barriers and support available to care experienced people wanting to access their records. We also published a blog by Claire Wilden, she argues that being care experienced should become a protected characteristic to provide better protection from discrimination. Dr John Simmonds reflects on the history of the social work profession in his latest blog.