Keywordssocial work, residential care, Care Inspectorate, community support, children's welfare, trauma-informed care, social services, Scotland, child protection, family supportsummaryIn this conversation, Ian Henderson , a seasoned social worker, shares his extensive experience in the field of social work, particularly focusing on children's welfare and residential care. He discusses the evolution of care practices, the challenges faced within the Care Inspectorate, and the importance of community-based support for children. Henderson emphasizes the need for transparency, a trauma-informed approach, and the necessity of keeping families together. He also critiques the current state of social work in Scotland, highlighting the importance of speaking truth to power and advocating for systemic change to better support children and families.takeaways• Social work has evolved, but challenges remain.• Community-based support is crucial for children's welfare.• Transparency in care practices is essential.• The focus should be on well-being, not just risk management.• Siblings should be kept together whenever possible.• Care Inspectorate needs to balance partnership and regulation.• Trauma-informed care is vital in residential settings.• Social workers must advocate for systemic change.• Young people's voices are essential in shaping care practices.• Effective social work requires collaboration and community involvement.

Disclaimer : The views of the interviewee are that of the interview & not the interviewer

In this conversation, Joe Gibb & Dr Yvalia Febrer discusses the innovative training course developed by Kingston University & the Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust for staff in children's homes, emphasizing the need for higher qualifications and the role of social pedagogy in improving residential childcare practices across the UK. He highlights the importance of contextualizing training and the necessity for collaboration among different care sectors to enhance the quality of care for vulnerable children.

Takeaways

• We're at a bit of a tipping point in residential childcare.
• The current training is inadequate for the complexities of the role.
• Social pedagogy can significantly improve practice in residential care.
• Training should be uniform across the UK but context-specific.
• Collaboration between different care sectors is essential for effective training.
• The new course is designed to be flexible for working professionals.
• Distance learning must be robust and engaging for participants.
• Technology can enhance training and practice in meaningful ways.
• There is a need for a coordinated network among care professionals.
• Social pedagogy embraces a variety of useful tools and practices.

• Revolutionizing Childcare Training
• The Future of Social Pedagogy in the UK

• "We're at a bit of a tipping point."
• "We need to raise the bar across all the nations."
• "It's not just about one individual course."

In this conversation, Colin discusses his extensive experience in residential childcare, emphasizing the importance of psychology in understanding and supporting children. He introduces the Pillars of Parenting model, which focuses on individual needs and relationships, and critiques current challenges in residential care. Colin also reflects on the future of care, government initiatives, and the necessity of trauma-informed approaches, advocating for a more individualised focus in childcare practices.

TakeawaysPsychology is essential in understanding children's needs.Individual focus is crucial in residential care settings.Building strong relationships with children leads to better outcomes.The Pillars of Parenting model emphasises care, attachment, and self-perception.Trauma-informed care must address individual experiences and needs.Positive attachments are vital for children's emotional development.Staff training should focus on recognising and addressing individual needs.Understanding a child's strengths can significantly impact their development.Creating a supportive environment is key to effective childcare.

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Inthis episode I talk to a residential manager about his own experience ofworking across residential childcare both within Scotland and Ireland . Wecover topics such as using lived experience safely , qualifications , theimpact of historic abuse cases , the importance of using correct language, tacklingstigma  plus much more , so withoutfurther a do please welcome Jamie Long to the podcast

1. In this episode I talk to Adele Sutherland who is employed by Pebbles Care as a trainee psychologist . During our discussion we hear about Adeles journey from sessional residential childcare worker to trainee psychologist . We hear about Adeles view in respect of education levels of the workforce , her thoughts about the promise , challenges around planned and unplanned admissions, plus much more . It was great to hear about Adele's journey so far and think you will find this episode interesting so without further a do please welcome Adele Sutherland to the Podcast.

In this episode I talk to commissioning expert Marie Tucker . We cover lots of ground including a discussion about commissioning , the purpose of RCC & we also cover some of the challenges plus much more .

Consultant & trainer Steph Hunter talks to Joe Gibb about a range of topics connected to residential Childcare

In this interview I talk to Arlene Kyle who is director of Roots & Wings Social Care. We cover lots of ground starting off by hearing about Arlene's own journey into social care . We then consider the importance of a supportive environment & how support and supervision is important .

We also consider topics such as what the main challenges are for the sector and whether a place exists for profit making enterprises within residential childcare.

In this episode I talk to Shumela Ahmed who is managing director of the social enterprise 'Resilience Learning Partnership'.

We cover lots of ground & amongst other things we look at the importance of using lived experience ethically . We also talk about areas such as the continued roll out of the promise & the use of the residential child care sector in Scotland .

Please have a listen and share if you can.

Thank you to Shumela , I really enjoyed speaking with you.