Past Events

In this area, we have collated a variety of resources from some of the past events across the partnership.  This includes event recordings, presentations, toolkits and various links to support your continuous professional development.

 

Please click on the event titles below:-

Holding Courageous Conversations

Speakers

Melissa Crowland, Social Worker and University of York SUPA group

Ed Robson, Lecturer of Social Work at University of York 

Event Summary: Overview of the session

This online seminar will focused on how to ensure that students with impairments and/or additional support needs can succeed in social work practice placements.  As a former social work student with a number of physical impairments, Melissa Crowland discussed the need for ‘courageous conversations’ between student and placement to ensure that each student is given the right support.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Creative Engagement and Listening to Service Users

Speakers

NY Voice – Youth Voice and Creative Engagement Team

Event Summary: Overview of the session

This session explores how to creatively engage with young people and how you can use those principles across Social Work services.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Working in greyscale: understanding the role and position of social work in mental health services in England and Wales

Speakers

Dr Laura Tucker. Qualified social worker and social researcher, University of York.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

Social work is central to the provision of mental health care in England and Wales.  However, there is a lack of oversight and agreement on the structure and contribution of social work in mental health settings, and provision is dependent on local priorities, organisation agreements and available resources.  This has left mental health social work unclearly defined as a professional specialism, with varying organisational and service contexts further influencing the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of practice.

This research aimed to establish an understanding of mental health social work provision and to explore how mental health social workers perceive their role, accounting for variation and similarity across the range of practice contexts, to identify the ‘core characteristics’ of mental health social work.  A survey of social work providers was used to map mental health social work provision at a national level.  248 social workers from a range of practice contexts were surveyed on their views on professional identity and practice context, with thirty also taking part in an interview to explore this more fully.  Participants saw their professional role as an interaction of tasks, values and knowledge which informed a distinctive approach to practice.  Their externally facing, task-based roles were sensitive to practice environments and influences, but values and knowledge-based roles were consistent across settings.  This suggests that definitions of mental health social work need to be distinguished from the activities of practice if this workforce is to be understood as a profession.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Bye bipolar: say goodbye to feeling on your own

Speakers

Keith J Thompson, SUPA group at University of York.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The session looked at Keith’s lived experience of bipolar disorder.   Participants discussed and explored stigmatism of people with mental health problems, how it manifests and mental health knowledge for social work practitioners.  Keith also invited questions from participants.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Practice Educator Event 2023

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The Yorkshire Urban and Rural Social Work Teaching Partnership recognises the key role that Practice Educators play in ensuring quality social work is taught, practiced and delivered.  As such the Partnership is hosted this event which will provide a chance for our Partnership Practice Educators to be celebrated, to engage with key topics and people, to learn, reflect and develop.

The event had sessions to by Dr Jo Finch, Professor of Social Work and Post Graduate Research at the University of Suffolk, to look at Working with Struggling or Failing Students on Placement. This was followed by the student nominated awards to recognise the commitment and hard work of our Practice Educators.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Using Novels, TV and Film to Promote Anti-racist Social Work Practice

Speakers

Jenny Threlfall, Shirleecia Ward, Polly Sykes and Kelly Devenny – Lecturers and Researchers – University of York – Department of Social Policy and Social Work

Event Summary: Overview of the session

Following on from the Anti-Racist Practice event part of which examined the University of York research project on ‘Supporting Minority Ethnic Students on Placement’. One of the recommendations for the university and teaching partnership was to establish an ongoing book club for practitioners and academic staff around issues of race and diversity.

This session explored the book club project and it’s benefits to academics and practitioners alike. Research tells us that narratives from novels and films are effective in increasing knowledge of diverse communities, promoting empathy and reducing biases. The book club aims to provide a more effective and engaging way of doing diversity training. It provides a ‘safe’ forum where people can talk about race, discusses minority ethnic experiences in the UK and raises awareness of potential biases. In particular, the session will draw out the learnings around the intersection between race and mental health.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

Watch this space for further book club activities.

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World Social Work Week Event 2023

Keynote Speaker

Brid Featherstone, Professor of Social Work at the University of Huddersfield.

Panel Members

Jenny Threlfall, Lecturer at the University of York – Host

Rob Moriarty, Leeds Centre for Integrated Living
Shantel Thomas, BASW
Violet Cannon, Yorkshire Gypsy Traveller Organisation

Event Summary: Overview of the session

World Social Work Day celebrated and recognised the hard work and dedication of social workers on an international stage.  The Keynote Speech by Professor Brid Featherstone (University of Huddersfield) draws from her current research on domestic abuse and child protection to explored and offered examples of ‘Thinking and doing differently’ in an approach informed by intersectionality. The presentation explored how it can, and is being used to, inform social work practice in the UK and other countries. In addition, a panel session explored the theme ‘Respecting Diversity Through Joint Action in Social Work’.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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BASW Cost of Living Crisis – Support for Social Workers and Students

Following delivery of this session presented by Liz Howard and Josh Dixon we have collated some resources and links that practitioners might find useful.

This was a closed event so the event video is only available to people who work for or study with one of the Partners within the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Teaching Partnership.  If you would like to access the session please email inspiringsocialwork@calderdale.gov.uk stating your organisation.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Cultural Competence and Community Cohesion

Speakers

Imam Abdul Hafeez Siddique, Founder and CEO of The Flowhesion Foundation.  He describes himself as a Faith leader, Thought leader, Chaplain and listener in a world of speakers.  He is an experienced, qualified Muslim Chaplain and has a strong academic background in community cohesion and social capital research.   He has over 10 years experience working with socially excluded immigrant BAME communities and their representatives in Bolton to promote community cohesion and build social capital.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The session explored what we mean by cultural sensitivity.  It recognised the importance for Local Authority staff to understand the culture of the service users they work with in order to build effective practice.  It discussed what fears and stereotypes some professionals have when working with ethnic groups and religions.  It looked at how we can differentiate a cultural issue from other issues.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Trauma Informed Practice

Following delivery of this session by Professor David Shemmings OBE PHD which explored how to Recognise Trauma in Individuals.  We have collated some resources and links that practitioners might find useful.

This was a closed event so the event video is only available to people who work for or study with one of the Partners within the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Teaching Partnership.  If you would like to access the session please email inspiringsocialwork@calderdale.gov.uk stating your organisation.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Transgender Awareness

Speakers

Raegan Persaud, Family Law Barrister at Spire Barristers. Reagan has extensive knowledge and experience of issues relating to gender identity and the difficulties that can be faced when these matters arise. She understands trans issues and the difficulties that trans clients can face during proceedings.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The session will provide a broad overview of relevant terminology, pronouns, titles, and what would likely be general good practice for social workers when working with trans children.  It explores the law around the issues of gender identity, particularly in the family sphere and what social workers would need to be aware of.  It discussed the pathways to transitioning and what social workers would need to be conscious of with a focus on the medical, social and legal implications.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Positive Risk-Taking in Mental Health

Speakers

Martin Webber, Professor of Social Work at the University of York and Director of the International Centre for Mental Health Social Research.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The session explored positive risk taking in mental health social work.  The aim is to shift the focus from risk management to supporting people to safely take risks.  It looked at place-based services, connecting people with research and therapeutic risk-taking and recovery.  It presented the latest research and initiated discussions about how it can be reflected in practice.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control

Speakers

Dr Emma Katz, Ph.D. – Author of Coercive Control in Children’s and Mothers’ Lives (Oxford University Press 2022)

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The event explored Domestic Violence and Coercive Control.  Coercive control is a form of domestic abuse where perpetrators use a pattern of threats, humiliation or intimation to control and dominate their partner or children, depriving them of independence and isolating them from support. Because coercive control does not always involve physical violence, it has often been under-reported and under-recognised.  It was recognised as a criminal offence in England and Wales in 2015.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Cost of Living Crisis and its Implications for Children, Families and Social Work

Speakers

Brid Featherstone, Professor of Social Work at the University of Huddersfield.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The event explored the research evidence on why the cost of living crisis is likely to increase pressures within families and therefore demands upon services.  Such services are, however, themselves under increasing strain in the aftermath of Covid and as a result of a decade of austerity.  The presentation identified possibilities for policy and practice responses that are poverty-aware and contribute towards supporting children and families in very challenging circumstances.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Reflective Practice and Self Care

Speakers

Ed Robson and Polly Sykes, Lecturer in Social Work at University of York.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

This seminar will provided the opportunity to reflect on both personal and professional self-care, it discussed the role of organisations in promoting self-care and celebrating achievement in the workplace.  They also introduced the ‘Schwartz Rounds’, a group reflective forum for discussing the emotional impact of our work.  This session provides evidence of Peer Reflection for your Social Work England CPD record.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

All Teaching Partnership Local Authorities have resource toolkits available for Practice Educators to use with students on placement.  The toolkits include Reflective Practice cards and Self Care cards.  Please see your Practice Educator Consultants or NYCC Learning and Development Team.

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World Social Work Day Annual Conference 2022

Event Summary: Overview of the session

World Social Work Day is a celebration and recognises the hard work and dedication of social workers on an international stage.  For World Social Work Day 2022 the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Social Work Teaching Partnership hosted this virtual event focusing on the World Social Work Day theme.

Guest speaker Dr Anna Gupta explored the theme ‘Leaving No One Behind’ in more depth and answered questions from participants.  During the event participants heard lived experiences, engaged in group discussions and had the opportunity to reflect on their own practice.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Practice Educator Event 2022

Speakers

Keynote Speaker  – Dr Suzanne Triggs, Coach Doctor

Sharing Resources Sessions:
Leeanne Olivant, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, University of Huddersfield – ‘The Balloon Model’
Helen Wheat, Practice Educator Consultants, Kirklees Council – Mandela Model
Grace Adams and Ben Groves, CSW/service managers, City of York Council – Social Graces.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

The Yorkshire Urban and Rural Social Work Teaching Partnership recognises the key role that Practice Educators play in ensuring quality social work is taught, practiced and delivered.  This event provided a chance for our Partnership Practice Educators to be celebrated, to engage with key topics and people, to learn, reflect and develop.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Working with Men across the Life Course

Speakers

Brid Featherstone, Professor of Social Work at the University of Huddersfield.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

This session explores the issues facing men at different stages of the life course and differing approaches to working with them in areas such as mental health and child protection.

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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Anti-Racist Practice

Speakers

Kelly Devenney, Hannah Jobling, Nikita Somaiya, Shirleecia Ward, Polly Sykes and Jenny Threlfall – Lecturers, Researchers and Students – University of York – Department of Social Policy and Social Work

Event Summary: Overview of the session

In a society that treats ‘whiteness’ as the default, racist ideas and beliefs arise in all areas of life and work.  This session explored various aspects of anti-racism, including unconscious bias, in relation to social work practice.

Nikita talks about her lived experience

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to the session subject:

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The Impact of Imprisonment on Children and Families

Speaker

Ben Raikes, Senior Lecturer, Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Huddersfield.

Event Summary: Overview of the session

This session draws attention to the negative impact that parental imprisonment can have on children.  Having a parent in prison is internationally recognised as one of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).  It considered how children are affected at all stages of the criminal justice system and used findings from the speaker’s research to consider the significance of stigma, disenfranchised grief and ambiguous loss for this group of children.

Bringing to the foreground the issues caused by maternal imprisonment as that generally causes more disruption for children than paternal imprisonment.  It linked to Lord Farmer’s influential 2019 report on strengthening family ties for mothers in prison and his recommendation to place experienced children’s social workers in all female prisons.

 

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Resilience Masterclass – 8th October 2021

Speaker

Dr Tom Considine, Senior Lecturer, Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Huddersfield

Event Summary: Overview of the session

Resilience is increasingly recognised as a core skill for social work practice.  Arguably, it has taken on even greater significance in the light of COVID-19 and its effects on society.  Ostensibly, resilience is a laudable quality as it seeks to enhance the opportunity to thrive in the face of such adversity.

This session draws upon research with student social work practitioners, and practice educators, which offers a critique of the dominant view of resilience above and provides instead an original social model of resilience.  This approach advocates supportive networks to sustain resilient practice.

Research Results

The Teaching Partnership commissioned its partner, The University of Huddersfield, to carry out research into the resilience of partner social work teams in the light of the Covid19 pandemic. As part of this research, a usable toolkit was developed as a leaflet using the main themes from the findings of the research. The leaflet is a reference point for social work students and practitioners in working within the context of the pandemic and moving forward.  Click on the image below to open the toolkit.

A framework for developing resilient teams PDF document

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World Social Work Day Event and Practice Educator Awards – 16th March 2021

Solidarity and global connectedness shone through at this virtual event hosted by the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Teaching Partnership.

The event has a host of speakers discussing subjects such as:

  • Practice Educator Wellbeing
  • Social Resilience and Social Work Practice
  • ‘Ubuntu: I am because we are’

In addition it hosted the Partnership’s Practice Educator of the Year Awards.

Watch the video of the days events

Resources and Links

The following resources and links were mentioned or are related to presentations on the day:

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Social Work Leadership Event, 26th February 2020

The event was targeted at Social Work leaders, board members and service user groups within the partnership.  Over 60 delegates attended the first half of the day and heard senior representatives from across the Partnership talk about the importance of strong leadership in social work.   Themes covered included:

  • A strength based approach to social work: “People are experts in their own lives, Individuality matters”
  • Strength in Relationships : “Every child has a family and they can be found if we try”
  • Quality and values in social work: “Different roles, same goal”
  • Leadership from a university perspective: “Learning with and from each other”

Take a look at the Speakers Presentations.

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National Teaching Partnership Conference, 14th November 2019

The Cheshire and Merseyside Social Work Teaching Partnership welcomed representatives from Teaching Partnerships across the country and partner agencies to Liverpool.  The theme of the conference was “celebrating success and sharing best practice” and a packed agenda ran through the day provoking discussions and providing lots of food for thought.

With a key note speech from Social Work England and a presentation of the Practice Supervisor Development Programme from Goldsmiths University of London.

See all the workshops and presentations below:-

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