Around 300 social care professionals came together on Tuesday (28 March, 2017) to share best practice and help further improve services for Wolverhampton's vulnerable children, adults and families.

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The City of Wolverhampton Council's second annual Adults and Children's Social Work Conference, at Grand Station, brought together hundreds of social workers to specifically focus on how they can work together to improve outcomes for the whole family.

It saw the formal launch of the council's Think Family Social Work Programme, which will support social workers to transfer between adults and children's social work by giving them the opportunity to learn the core skills needed in both disciplines before making a long-term commitment to moving from one to the other.

Professionals also discussed how they can work with families in a way that better helps them to build on their strengths, achieve positive outcomes and access the support they need to achieve the things they want to in their lives, took part in workshops and listened to a series of keynote speeches.

Councillor Val Gibson, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "We are constantly looking at ways in which we can improve services and outcomes for children and young people and families.

"This important event, now in its second year, was a brilliant opportunity to have so many social workers in one place, learning together, sharing best practice and helping to develop new ways in which we and our partners can further support people in times of need.

"We also formally launched our Think Family Social Work Programme, which will enable children's social care professionals to find out more about adult social work and vice versa, and so further embed the whole family approach."

Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "Like many other councils, we are continuing to redesign our services to improve the help and support we are able to give local residents. But the redesign of services can only go so far; it is social workers and other frontline practitioners who really make the difference.

"As well as an opportunity to reflect, learn and develop, Tuesday's conference was a chance for us to say a massive thank you to the hundreds of professionals who work tirelessly, day in, day out, to secure the best possible outcomes for our children and young people, families and adults with additional needs."

To find out more about social care careers in Wolverhampton, please visit Type=links;Linkid=8182;Title=Social care jobs;Target=_blank;.

  • released: Thursday 30 March, 2017