Designated teacher conference

This year’s Conference will be held on Friday 4 October 2019

8.30am – 4.00pm at the Best Western Tiverton Hotel

This is a training day for both newly appointed and experienced Designated teachers for Children in Care and will include keynote speakers and a choice of workshops.

Our keynote speaker is Louise Bombèr, who is a qualified specialist teacher, therapist and DDP certified practitioner. She works with individual pupils, classes, whole school settings, local authorities, teachers and support staff across both primary and secondary phases. Louise also provides consultations and training for education, social services and health and supports children and young people who have experienced significant relational traumas and losses to move towards learned security and recovery.  She also works as a clinical supervisor for counsellors/therapists working in schools and has created a course for staff wanting to become attachment leads in their schools and authorities.

Other confirmed speakers are Matthew Brazier (HMI – Specialist Adviser for Looked After Children) and Michelle Oxley (Regulatory Inspection Manager for South West).

We are currently finalising the workshops for the afternoon sessions and will email full details, timings, workshop choices and booking instructions before the end of the summer term.

Please hold the date in your diaries and we will email all Designated teachers when the booking process and programme is available.

Presentations from 2018 conference can be found below for your information:

Keynote Presentation – Natasha Devon MBE: Crossed Wires – The limited language of mental health and wow we can communicate more effectively.

Equitable Inclusion – Henry Kulaya (Education Consultant)

DT Network Meetings Launch – (Ian Hemelik, Dr Tim Cockerill and Paul Brown)

Workshop 1: Social media and critical consumption (Natasha Devon MBE)

Social media has dramatically changed the way young people think and behave. In this workshop, Natasha Devon will explore the potential impact on self-esteem and body image, as well as critical thinking exercises to help pupils navigate the digital realm.

Workshop 2: ePEPs – What makes a good one? (Eddie Smith and Paul Brown)

This workshop will provide an overview into how ePEPs work and what makes them effective.  We will also provide guidance on constructing and writing effective success criteria for the ePEP (a key part of making a PEP good).

Workshop 3: Coaching to Promote Thinking, Reflection & Change (Catherine Dunnett & Matt Jones)

This workshop will introduce both the theory and practical application of using solution focused coaching skills with students.  Supporting them to identify skills and strengths to work towards what they would like to achieve.  We will look at how this accessible and positive way of working can support the development of resilience, motivation and identity.

Workshop 4:  Supporting Transitions through all Phases – Guidance for Schools & Settings (Dr Sam Houlson & Carrie Gould)

This workshop will provide an overview of why educational transitions can be such a difficult time for Children in Care and other vulnerable children and young people.  New DCC guidance will be explored during the session that outlines good practice in relation to transition processes.  Although the focus will be on primary to secondary transition, leaving school will also be considered and time will be given for attendees to share their own experiences and ideas.

Workshop 5: The REDS Intervention & New DCC Protocol for Supporting CiC at Risk of Exclusion (Dr Andrew Eaton & Dr Claire Hoskin)

This session will outline newly developed materials aimed at Reducing Exclusions in Devon Schools (REDS).  A pilot study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the approach – which is currently free to schools – when working with CiC.  The session will also outline the new Devon Protocol for Supporting Pupils in Care and at Risk of Exclusion.

Workshop 6: Equitable Inclusion (Henry Kulaya)

To improve outcomes for students at risk, all schools must work with like- minded partners (local, national and international) to identify and remove barriers and must actively seek to create the conditions needed for student success.  In an increasingly diverse UK, that means ensuring that all of our students are engaged, included and respected, and that they see themselves reflected in their learning environment.  This workshop will offer you the chance to challenge the status quo and devise practical solutions to improving inclusion, through innovative strategies underpinned by Equity, and not just Equality, of opportunity.

Workshop 7: A Youthwork Approach (Ruth Glen & Phil Sanders, Young Devon)

Many young people in Devon struggle with numerous emotional and physical barriers that without intervention make life a struggle.  Young Devon exist to remove these barriers and change their odds of success.  This workshop will focus on how delivering short employability courses, through a youthwork wrap-around delivery model, leads to a greater chance of employment. Why do we focus on recognising, developing and rewarding soft skills?  How do we support emotional wellbeing?

Workshop 8: See Behaviour, think Communication – Identifying Speech, Language & Communication Needs and their impact on Wellbeing (Gemma Creek)

Many children and young people with emotional and behavioural needs have unidentified language and communication difficulties. Speech and Language Therapy plays a crucial role in identification and support, to provide positive outcomes and reduce risk.

Workshop 9: Careers Guidance – Helping to Improve Outcomes for CiC (David Rose, CSW Group)

This workshop aims to explore what careers guidance is and why it is important that all young people, particularly those in Care, receive impartial advice and guidance. We will look at the Gatsby benchmarks and schools statutory responsibilities regarding careers guidance. We will also explore the work that CSW Group does with this cohort on behalf of the Local Authority.

2017 Conference

Our annual conference was a training day for both newly appointed and experienced designated teachers and also other colleagues who support our children in care. The theme for 2017 was resilience.

Presentations from the speakers and workshop presenters can be found below for your information:

(Workshop 1) Keynote Speaker – Jean Gross CBE

(Workshop 2) Understanding the behaviour of CiC in schools from an attachment and mental health perspective – Shane Coombs (CAMHS Cic Team – Clinical Team Manager)

(Workshop 3) How to help children who are hard to help – Sonia Sims (Adoption Social Worker), Nikki Banks (Family Practitioner, Special Guardianship Team) and Kath Bond (Community Care Worker)

(Workshop 4) Getting boys to write: Miles Chambers (with help from fellow performance poet, Tekla Selassie)

(Workshop 5) Motivational Interviewing – Helping young people understand and change negative patterns of behaviour – Cian Carney (Educational Psychologist)

(Workshop 6) – Using ICT to improve the outcomes for GCSE learners (was cancelled)

(Workshop 7) – Resiliency scales – Dr Andrew Eaton (Educational Psychologist)

(Workshop 8) – Using the PEP to Promote educational attainment and wellbeing – Maz Woodland (Educational Psychologist)

(Workshop 9) – Mindfulness awareness and its relationship to resiliency: Sam Houlson (Educational Psychologist)

(Workshop 10) – Practical Ideas for Young People to Manage Stress: Andy Simpson (Advisory Teacher) and Jeff Cornish (Family Worker)