Course Description

This is a unique experience to hear from a former Looked After young person and his Social Worker, David Akinsanya and Jenni Randall.

David Akinsanya was looked after as a child. He talks of the extremes of the system, the times of care and understanding and the times of pain and difficulty. Jenni Randall was his social worker who clung on for a rollercoaster ride. They now are friends and David is a successful film maker and champion of Looked After Children. They talk on their successes and failures in a positive and helpful way to present-day practitioners.

A crucial thread running through the day is the importance of listening to the voice of the child and Bristol is developing this theme in future courses.

Aims

To examine the corporate parenting task, drawing upon the experience of young people in public care.
To look at the importance of emphasizing positive personal identity and personal history to enhance self-esteem and emotional wellbeing.
To better prepare the young person for independence.
To better equip the worker to understand the range of emotions, challenges, fears and desires of young people in the Looked After system.

Objectives

To explore new ways of developing relationships.
To examine and challenge the culture surrounding parenting in the Looked After system.
To explore pitfalls and problems that occurs during the Looked After experience and consider solutions.
To recognise the value of developing warm, caring, professional relationships.