05 May 2010
UK child protection experts are among those promoting the welfare of vulnerable children at a one-day conference in Jersey in September.
'Our children, our future' is organised by the Jersey Child Protection Committee (JCPC), the independent body which oversees the agencies that work with the island’s children.
The event, on 24 September, is aimed at all professionals who have contact with vulnerable children and their families.
The independent chair of the JCPC, Mike Taylor, said “This is another initiative from the JCPC to ensure public confidence in those working in child protection and to improve child protection services for all children.
“There were a large number of recommendations about training made in our recent Serious Case Review and this conference will go some way to respond to these recommendations.”
The two keynote speakers are the University of East Anglia’s professor of social work David Howe and senior lecturer in social work Marian Brandon.
Professor Howe, one of the top British writers on child protection issues, will speak on the effect of abuse and neglect on children and young people. Professor Howe’s interest in the problem of child abuse began more than 30 years ago when he was a child care officer.
He has a strong commitment to translating the findings of research into practice, and working closely with practitioners over many years has helped produce models of assessment and intervention.
Marion Brandon will present 'What works in safeguarding practice: lessons learned'.
Ms Brandon’s research includes a recent study of serious case reviews which highlighted the children at highest risk, the family characteristics and the interventions that prove most effective in keeping them safe.
The afternoon programme sees a number of people from Jersey agencies presenting workshops on:
- Supporting vulnerable children in education – Education Support Team
- Engaging with young people with offending behaviour – Youth Action Team
- Domestic violence: the impact on parenting – Women’s refuge and ADAPT programme
- Protecting babies from harm - JCPC
- Supporting parents with young children – NSPCC Pathways
- Promoting e-safety in schools – Education, Sport and Culture
- Educating young people on the dangers of anti-social behaviour – Prison! Me! No Way!
- Working with sexually active teenagers - Brook in Jersey
- What young people leaving care need to be independent – Jersey Care Leavers
- Helping young people with special needs into the workplace – Jersey Employment Trust
Mike Taylor, who will set the context of safeguarding children and young people at the event, added “This will be a most important event for all those working in child protection.
"It is an opportunity to learn from the wide-ranging experience of a number of agencies through workshops, coupled with presentations from two keynote speakers who are acknowledged experts in this area of work.”
The conference, which will be opened by Minister for Health and Social Services Deputy Anne Pryke, will also feature a bookshop and displays.
Jersey Child Protection Committee
gov.je