The Education and Social Care Conference 2024: Working in Partnership to Support Vulnerable Pupils

Following the disruption caused by Covid, the attainment gap between vulnerable children and their peers is wider than ever. With the number of children in care rising by 9% in the five years up to 2022, schools are spending increasing amounts of time and resources ensuring that these children have the best possible education. This is on top of the continuing delays to additional support, such as Education, Health and Care plans, which are leaving vulnerable children without the resources they need. After the end of the Social Workers in Schools pilot in March 2023, there is therefore an imperative for practitioners to continue to explore ways to work together to improve outcomes for looked after children.

• In the year to March 2023, over half of children in care are identified as having SEND, according to the Department for Education
• 31% of children with a social care referral have been suspended from school at some point, according to Action for Children
• Only 14% of children who have been in care went on to university in 2021-22, according to Civitas, compared with 47% of other young people

Join us at The Education and Social Care Conference 2024 to hear the latest updates from leading practitioners and experts on multi-agency collaboration to improve the education of children with experience of the social care system. Engage with a series of best practice case studies from across the UK, showcasing innovative and effective partnership working, classroom-based approaches, and tips for supporting vulnerable children through education. You will also have the opportunity to network with senior colleagues from across the public sector to discuss and improve the educational support of looked-after children.

Why Attend:

✓ Hear high-level keynotes on the latest policy and strategies to improve the educational outcomes of vulnerable children

✓ Gain practical insights into training staff, supporting vulnerable children and reducing school exclusions

✓ Engage with senior colleagues from across the sector to discuss strategies to improve children’s engagement in education

✓ Gain 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota

This is a live event taking place online:

✓ Access a full live event with 8 hours of CPD points from home

✓ Network and connect with colleagues in breakout networking sessions and the meeting hub

✓ Interact with speakers through live Q&A and networking

✓ Review event materials and presentations post-event

✓ Receive additional resources to boost your learning and support you in your role

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

• 09.00

  Online Registration 

• 09.50

  Chair’s Opening Remarks 

  Professor Leon Feinstein, Director of the Rees Centre, University of Oxford (invited)

• 10.00

  Keynote: Evidence Based Recommendations for Improving Collaboration Between Childrens Services and Social Care

  • Lessons and conclusions to take forward from the Social Workers in Schools Practice
  • An update on new projects and trials to improve connections between education and social care
  • Mobilising data to evaluate interventions and ensure that they are cost-effective
  • Supporting social workers to have better relationships with pupils by reducing negative perceptions that are held by young people

  Donna Molloy, Director of Policy and Practice, WWEICSC (invited)

• 10.20

  Case Study: Improving School Attendance for Vulnerable Children Through Multi-Agency Collaboration

  • Sharing strategies to increase attendance and improve children’s attainment
  • Developing training to provide support and expertise to nearby schools facing similar attendance problems
  • Implementing regular reviews of school systems to assess their effectiveness against external benchmarks
  • Producing locally tailored solutions to tackle specific underlying drivers of persistent absence

  Rob Tarn, CEO, Northern Education Trust (invited)

• 10.40

  Questions and Answers

• 11.00

  Comfort Break

• 11.15

  Case Study: Providing Wrap-Around Support to Vulnerable Children Through School Transitions

  • Establishing a Transition Hub to facilitate joined-up working between schools and other agencies
  • Engaging with parents and caregivers to help them further support children through transitions
  • Providing a phased transition to secondary school to enable a gradual adaptation and emotional support
  • Creating a tailored educational programme for children in care to ensure support is person-centred
  • Focusing on behaviour during and after school transitions to improve outcomes for children and reduce youth offending

  Chris Hunt, Headteacher, Whitefield School, Barnet (invited)

• 11.35

  Case Study: Strengthening Safeguarding Protocols and Practices Through a Joint Approach

  • Applying contextual safeguarding to understand children’s experiences and provide pupil-centred support
  • Improving the referral process when a safeguarding concern is raised to ensure that all incidents are responded to effectively
  • Upskilling local school staff to improve their knowledge of safeguarding and spot the signs of a potential concern
  • Equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make them feel safe in and out of school

  Rob South, Executive director children, adults and public health, Ealing Council (invited)

• 11.55

  Questions and Answers

• 12.15

  Breakout Networking: Working Together to Provide Stability for Vulnerable Young People

  This session will provide you with the opportunity to discuss the main challenges you face in fostering collaboration and communication between schools and social care services, allowing you to share experiences and encourage the development of best practice.

• 12.45

  Lunch Break

• 13.25

  Lived Experience: Co-producing Education Pathways with Looked-After Children: Best Practice

  • Tips for including the voices of care-experienced young people to create co-produced plans
  • Advice for supporting vulnerable pupils to transition into higher education
  • An update on the ongoing research exploring positive educational pathways for children in care
  • Collaborating with charities to bring in specific expertise on the routes that young people can take after leaving school

  Steve Hawksworth, Senior Social Worker, Barnsley Council (invited)

• 13.45

  Case Study: Facilitating Collaboration Between Virtual School and Classroom Teachers

  • Building local networks to ensure the needs of looked after children are communicated with school staff
  • Tips for making high-quality digital resources and updates easily accessible for teachers and carers
  • The Oxfordshire Relational Schools Programme: embedding trauma-informed, relational and restorative ways of working in schools
  • Cultivating relationships with colleges to develop post-16 personal education plans

  Zaheer Ahmed, Virtual School Headteacher, Oxfordshire Virtual School (invited)

• 14.05

  Case Study: Engaging in Multi-Authority Collaboration to Improve Virtual School Resource and Capacity

  • Bringing together multiple authorities into one virtual school to pool resources and enhance efficiency
  • Establishing policies and procedures to efficiently and securely share information and good practice between authorities
  • Including educational psychologists in conversations to improve children’s mental wellbeing and attainment
  • Appointing a Lead Outreach Worker to create and maintain effective channels of communication with external agencies
  • Tips for providing training to upskill local social workers and teachers on supporting looked after children at school

  Suzanne Parrott, Headteacher, AfC Virtual School (CONFIRMED)

• 14.25

  Questions and Answers

• 14.45

  Comfort Break

• 15.00

  Case Study: Providing Support for Vulnerable Children with SEND Throughout Their Schooling

  • Appointing and training a specific teacher to lead the response to children with complex needs
  • Strategies to include children with SEND in school and extra curricular activities to improve attendance and behaviour
  • Establishing effective protocols to improve identification of pupils’ needs and ensure they have Education, Health and Care plans
  • Building communication routes to support pupils with SEND who are educated outside of the local authority with responsibility for them

  Julia Foxcroft, SEND Operations Manager, Islington Council (invited)

• 15.20

  Case Study: Using Trauma-Informed Practice to Better Understand Students and Improve Behaviour

  • Building a coherent behaviour management strategy to give staff and pupils clear targets and expectations
  • Training staff through role plays to encourage new approaches to behaviour management and improve confidence
  • Strategies to enhance the inclusion of children with English as an additional language and encourage positive behaviour
  • Understanding pupil’s triggers to engage with them more compassionately and achieve better outcomes
  • Providing staff with additional training to support children with ACEs through behavioural problems

  Tom Burt, Vice Principal, Great Yarmouth Primary Academy (invited)

• 15.40

  Questions and Answers

• 16.00

  Chair’s Closing Remarks

  *programme subject to change without notice

Delegates who will have an interest in this event will be staff across the public and voluntary sector who are working to improve the educational outcomes of vulnerable children and children in care. 

*This Conference is open to Public, Private and Third Sectors

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

We are now taking bookings for our wide range of sponsorship and exhibition packages; we also offer bespoke packages tailored for your organisation.

Why Sponsor and Exhibit at this event:

✓ Network with key decision makers from across the education and social care sectors
✓ Meet your target audience in the sector
✓ Listen and Learn from leading industry experts from across the sector
✓ Opportunity to demonstrate your products or services
✓ Speak alongside industry leading experts
✓ Work with your dedicated account manager to generate the maximum amount of leads

Exhibition and Sponsorship Packages:

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Strategic Headline Sponsor:

• 20-minute speaking slot followed by Q&A
• 3x2m Exhibition Space (In the Refreshments and Catering room)
• Pre show marketing email to all registered delegates
• Post show inclusion on presentation email
• Branding on Website and Event Guide (Logo and 100 Word Profile)
• A4 Insert or A4 Chair Drop
• 5 Delegate Conference Passes
• 1 Speaker Pass

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Key Supporter Package:

• 20-minute speaking slot followed by Q&A
• Branding on Website and Event Guide (Logo and 100 Word Profile)
• A4 Insert or Chair Drop
• 1 Speaker Pass
• 2 Delegate Conference Passes

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Exhibition Stand:

• 3x2m Exhibition Space (In the Refreshments and Catering room)
• Power, Wifi, Table and 2 Chairs (If required)
• Branding on Website and Event Guide (Logo and 100 Word Profile)
• 2 Delegate Conference Passes
• 1 Stand Manager Pass

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Insert or Chair Drop:

• 1 Delegate Conference Pass
• A4 insert into delegate pack or A4 Chair Drop

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For more information or to discuss the available option please call 0203 961 5002 or email Sponsorship@GovernmentEvents.co.uk 

• Public Sector: £449.00+VAT
• Voluntary Sector: £379.00+VAT
• Private Sector: £649.00+VAT