A CONFERENCE is being held in Eastington to discuss children in the care system and will explore fundamental questions around the current safeguarding system.
Home-Start Stroud District will be hosting the First Thousand Days conference at Eastington Community Centre on Tuesday, June 23.
Elizabeth Ewart-James, Chair of Home-Start Stroud District and a recently retired family court advisor for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), is the organiser of the conference.
She says: “Recent research has indicated that there is a rising number of children coming into care, many through the court process.
“It appears that this is particularly prevalent in areas of deprivation and there may be a link between these numbers and poor community support service.”
“It is a fact that the care system is a poor parent and although adoption is frequently a positive solution for very young children, most children do best growing up in their own families.
“As a society we believe it is the right of every child to be brought up in their own family wherever possible.”
There will be many speakers at the conference including Anthony Douglas CBE, CEO of Cafcass, Joanna Nicolas a child protection consultant and Dr Freda Gardner Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Another speaker is Annie, a mother who had her children removed and fought to have them returned through the courts.
She will talk about what it is like to be on the receiving end of the child protection system/court process.
Home-Start Stroud District, organisers of the conference and beneficiaries of any profits made from the sale of tickets, is a Stonehouse based charity providing early intervention support to tackle problems for children and families before they become more difficult to reverse.
To attend apply by email to first1kdays@gmail.com with your name, email address, name of your organisation/charity (if you are a part of one) and the number of tickets you need, or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-thousand-days-conference-tickets-32401546899
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