1. How can we get young people to want to engage with Therapeutic Support Services?

Location: Discover Ground Floor

Getting children & young people to engage is often extremely difficult. How can it be done, what works & why does it work? Utilising an evidence-based, theoretically informed, relationship-based therapeutic model translated into consistent everyday practice.Children are supported by adults who remain curious, empathic, accepting & emotionally available, while maintaining high expectations & high aspirations for every child.

Come & find out about our integrated care, education & therapy practice model & what young people think of it.

Laura Edwards Registered Manager & Laura Craze Registered Manager Unique Care Homes & Young People

2. Making Home Possible - Applying Evidence-Based Multisystemic Therapy to Support Reunification.

Location: Innovation 1st Floor (in the middle section)

What helps young people successfully return home from care? This workshop explores the application of Evidence-Based Multisystemic Therapy (MST) to support safe, sustainable reunification with families. Drawing on a systemic understanding of the complex challenges facing young people returning home, we will examine the emerging evidence for this approach and its impact on outcomes.

Dr Phil Reynolds, MST Consultant, and Gina Baxby, MST Supervisor, will share practical insights from implementing MST across UK services. Through real-world examples, participants will explore the strengths of the model, implementation challenges, and key lessons for supporting lasting change for young people and families. https://www.mstukandireland.org/

Dr Philip Reynolds Consultant Clinical Psychologist - MST Consultant for MST-UK&I MST UK & Gina Baxby MST Supervisor Leeds City Council

3. Therapeutic Childcare: Are we Clear what we are talking about? Maybe Not. A PhD Case Study Research

Location: Rookeries Ground Floor

The workshop will explore the themes arising from case study research looking at the impact & understanding of a specialised therapeutic residential school, for primary aged children who have experienced early-life trauma. Despite children making significant progress whilst placed at the school the understanding of the term therapeutic child care is often misunderstood across both the school & the sector.

This case study research included the experiences of children, their families, staff teams & senior managers who supported & interacted with them. Findings highlighted how misunderstandings of the term ‘therapeutic child care’ can, in part, be understood as an emotional defence against being in touch with children’s traumatic early life experiences.

Dave Roberts Director of Training and Professional Development / Deputy Chief Executive Officer The Mulberry Bush

4. Shaping Futures Together: Empowering decision makers to build evidence informed mental health provision for children in care

Location: Imagine Ground Floor

Beck Ferrari, Clinical Content Lead at the UK Trauma Council introduces Shaping Futures Together, a free suite of resources that supports confident commissioning and decision making.

This session explores what “evidence-informed” truly means in the context of mental health support, and why this is vital for ensuring equitable and responsive provision for care-experienced children and young people.

Beck will also highlight the importance of collaborative working to making it happen - from developing shared language to enabling meaningful conversations about service improvement with partners.

Beck Ferrari, Clinical Content Lead UK Trauma Council