Our Regional Chair’s end of year message:
Dear Colleagues,
It hardly seems a year ago since I wrote my last end of year message. Yet as I sit here, reflecting on 2024, there is no doubt that a lot has happened.
As the old saying goes, the only constant in local government is change, but in a year where several of our local authority areas have seen a change in political leadership and obviously the General Election resulted in a new government, I guess a different direction of policy was inevitable. However, Governments only tend to transition between parties every ten to fifteen years, and I think we may have all forgotten that when this occurs, there seems to be a period of inertia, when at least outwardly nothing much happens. So, as we leave 2024 behind us, maybe it is not so much change that we have seen, but the promise that change is on the way! However, we know that the Children’s Bill will cause us to agilely pivot and the final outcomes from the Families First for Children pathfinders (which of course we are fortunate to have three in the West Midlands) will undoubtedly influence the reshaping of our practice for years to come.
Looking at what we have achieved as a region this year, I really do get a sense of pride and feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful region. Perhaps the culmination of this was in September when we held our annual Team Excellence Awards. It was great to see so much of the wonderful work that goes on in each of our LA areas. If you haven’t seen the brochure, please take a look. Also, this year, we have offered more development opportunities for those aspiring towards becoming a Head of Service, and we are thrilled to have offered 25 colleagues places on the BALI (Black and Asian Leadership Initiative) programme. As usual, in June our Principal Social Worker Network held their annual conference, this year with the focus on participation and we were joined by a group of Care Experience young people who delivered their “Putting Participation on the Map” training. Continuing on a theme, we held our first Participation Conference, and in the Autumn, we ran our second annual Safeguarding Network Conference.
So, what will the next year bring? Well, we know that budgets are stretched, but our Regional Team work very hard to secure as much external funding as possible, so I am sure we will have a busy programme of events across the year. We can also be fairly sure that we are entering a period of political stability, certainly in Whitehall, but for a number of us, locally too. Therefore, my prediction for 2025, and yes you heard it here first…IT’S GOING TO BE BUSY…but we are the West Midlands, we do busy well, we share, we learn, we support.
That just leaves me to say, thank you. As I said above, the West Midlands is a wonderful region, but this can only be the case because of the hard work each one of you does. However you spend the seasonal break, relax and refresh, and I’ll see you again in the New Year.
Kind regards,
Kind regards
Jo Britton
The Regional Team would like to wish you all Seasons Greetings and we look forward to supporting you all again in 2025.
Just as a reminder: · The Regional Team Office will be closed from 4pm on Tuesday 24th December, reopening at 9am on Thursday 2nd January.
Book your sessions at the Staff College Festival 2025: Once again, we are happy to support and encourage participation in The Staff College’s annual free festival, taking place between Monday 3rd – Friday 14th February 2025. This is an opportunity to grow your network, hear from industry experts and develop your skills. To sign up, please visit this link.
Women in Leadership: Applications for WiL Cohort 19 Birmingham are still open! Don't miss out on this invaluable workshop and elevate your leadership skills!Date: 8th & 9th May 2025 (In-person)Location: Radisson Blu Hotel Birmingham – 12 Holloway Circus, Birmingham B1 1BTPrice: £795 + VAT Additional Information: This is a 2-day training programme with light breakfast, hot lunch, evening meal and accommodation provided on day 1, breakfast, lunch and refreshments provided on day 2. Click here to apply now and secure your place!
Autism and Parental Blame: Colleagues at West Midlands ADASS have recently published research to promote understanding into how parents of autistic children experience parental blame when they approach health, education, and care services for support.
Full details can be found here.
Sukriti Sen: Fighting for fairness - from Bangladeshi school girl to Coventry’s DCS: Our newest member of DCS Network features in a recent edition of The Relational Social Work Podcast.
This is a very interesting listen, which you can find here. |
Upcoming Conferences and Events
Innovate and Grow Conference - 17th March 2025: A regional conference on practice and development. The Innovate and Grow Conference is a unique opportunity to spotlight the outstanding work being done across the West Midlands region. This is your chance to engage with leaders, innovators, and practitioners dedicated to shaping the future of care for children and families. Let’s work together to build stronger, more connected communities.
Together, we'll explore practical solutions, celebrate our strengths, and foster collaboration that will help us thrive even in uncertain times. Join professionals, leaders, and changemakers from across the region to innovate, grow, and lead us into a brighter future. More details can be found here. Secure your spot today using this link – Innovate and Grow Conference 2025: Regional Conference on Practice and Development |
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