Child protection and welfare social work in Ireland is a constantly evolving field of professional practice with rapid changes in policy, practice, legislation and statutory systems.  Child protection and welfare social workers collaborate with professionals, services and representative groups to identify and promote the welfare of children and families, and to enhance social justice. Ireland is incrementally becoming a better place for children to live, but there is more to do to ensure that all children have a positive, safe and healthy childhood.

SWCONF23 Theme: Child protection and children's rights: learning, achievements, and where to next? What practice and research innovations can revitalise the profession, and communities of practitioners and services involved in protecting children? Taking into account contemporary challenges and opportunities, how can we continue to be hopeful? How can we enhance positive experiences and outcomes for the children with whom we work?

Child protection and welfare social work in Ireland is a constantly evolving field of professional practice with rapid changes in policy, practice, legislation and statutory systems.  Child protection and welfare social workers collaborate with professionals, services and representative groups to identify and promote the welfare of children and families, and to enhance social justice. Ireland is incrementally becoming a better place for children to live, but there is more to do to ensure that all children have a positive, safe and healthy childhood.

SWCONF23 Theme: Child protection and children's rights: learning, achievements, and where to next? What practice and research innovations can revitalise the profession, and communities of practitioners and services involved in protecting children? Taking into account contemporary challenges and opportunities, how can we continue to be hopeful? How can we enhance positive experiences and outcomes for the children with whom we work?

Abstract: This keynote will consider the policy drivers and practice implications of current responses to domestic abuse in the context of child protection. It will explore the barriers to change, the realities for families and communities and the limits to our existing response. Brid and Kate will argue for new thinking that draws on an understanding of the intersectional nature of inequalities that shape family experiences, drawing on the empirical work they are leading in this field. Follow on Twitter here.

Bio: Kate is a qualified social worker, and joined the University of Sheffield in 2015. She was previously Director of the Centre for Social Work and Deputy Head of School, University of Nottingham.  Kate gained substantial experience in practice, management and policy development prior to moving into social work education and through her research and her involvement in national and international social work developments has remained very closely connected to practice. She currently co–leads with Brid Featherstone a Nuffield-funded project aiming to change policy and practice in responses to domestic abuse in the context of child protection.

Bio: Brid joined the University of Huddersfield in October 2015 as Professor of Social Work. She qualified as a social worker and worked in the field of social work from 1982-1992. She has been involved in social work education and research since then and has worked at universities in Ireland, England and Germany. She has an international reputation in the areas of gender, fathers, inequalities and child protection. Her co-authored book (with Sue White and Kate Morris) 'Re-imagining Child Protection: towards humane social work with families' has been highly influential and she worked with Paul Bywaters and Kate Morris to lead the Child Welfare Inequalities research project. She now co-leads the Rethinking Domestic Abuse in Child Protection (RDAC) research with Kate Morris

Professor Jermaine Ravalier, Professor in Organisational Psychology and Social Justice, Bath Spa University, England.

Abstract:

Social work is in a bit of a crisis – typified by more social workers leaving the profession than ever before and lots of work-related sickness absence, combined with continually poor working conditions. However, the situation is not completely dire. The numbers in social work training are increasing, levels of engagement in the role are excellent, and there seems to be a concerted effort among many to improve the situation. Overall social workers love their job, and it is not the job which causes stress … it’s all the other ‘stuff’ which comes along with it. This talk will outline 7 years’ worth of research into working conditions and wellbeing in social work around the world, as well as what social workers, social work employers, and policy makers all need to do in order to support the social work workforce.

Bio: Professor Jermaine Ravalier is a first-generation academic whose family have been in and around the health and social care sectors since he can remember. He is a Professor of Organisational Psychology and Social Justice at Bath Spa University and his research looks at the public sector workforce across the UK and the world, with particular focus on aiming to support education, health, and social care workers at work. If we can make work better for these key workers, we can also improve the lives of the students, patients, and service users that they work so hard to support. Professor Ravalier is passionate about equity both within the workplaces and in the global population more generally. Therefore his work seeks to educate and promote equity across the world. Read more about Jermaine's work here. Read the International Federation of Social Workers' research on global working conditions in social work led by Professor Ravalier and colleagues. 

1. Parallel sessions and the symposium will take place on Friday 27th October, 2023 from 11.10 am - 1 pm for delegates registered for the Friday main conference.
2. Eight rooms to choose from, all in person at UCC (no streaming). Seven parallel sessions with 28 papers and one symposium.
3. Click here for the full list of SWCONF23 Parallel Sessions and Symposium. If the file doesn't open in a browser window, check your downloads folder. Please note your preferred room number as you will need this information when you book.
4. Papers and room allocation are subject to change based on speaker availability.

About the artist: https://cargocollective.com/eszternemethi

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Abstract: This paper draws from a research study working with families in the International protection system. It examines how parents/ guardians from diverse cultural backgrounds and their social workers, navigate the child protection and welfare system in the face of complex intercultural challenges. It aims to provide Insights into the multi-layered challenges they encounter and to illuminate the potential to decolonise parenting practices. Three interrelated questions will be addressed. First, how can parents/guardians successfully undertake their indigenous child-rearing practices with confidence while negotiating an unfamiliar official parenting framework in Ireland? Second, what knowledge and world view of parenting is valorised and what knowledge is marginalized by the child protection system?  Finally, how can we as social workers fulfil our core values of social justice and human rights in addressing the existing intersecting inequalities such as those based on race and precarious asylum/refugee status. Follow Colletta on Twitter here - @CollettaDaliken. Read about Colletta's work on her Linkedin page.

Bio: Colletta Dalikeni is a social worker, academic, researcher, human rights defender and antiracist activist with over 20 years’ of social work practice and teaching experience in Higher Education Institutions. Prior to working in academia Colletta worked in child protection and welfare. She is currently based at Dundalk Institute of Technology. Colletta is a board member of the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) and the recent author of: ‘Child Protection Social Workers and Asylum Seeking Families in Ireland: Issues of Race, Power Relations and Mistrust’, a groundbreaking publication in the area of child protection social work with refugees and asylum-seeking families. Colletta is the co-author of the first ever (IASW) Anti-Racism Strategy of 2021-2023. She coordinates the activities of the Anti-Racism Advisory Group. She is passionate about radical activist scholarship and the decolonising social work agenda which she believes is key to bridging the gap between mere rhetorical ‘social justice’ and real transformative change as real social justice in social work.

Gerald P. Mallon, DSW, is the Julia Lathrop Professor of Child Welfare at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in New York City. 

Abstract: What is it like to grow up in your family and know that you are different from everyone else?  What’s it like to live in a foster home or a residential program and know that you are the only one? LGBTQ+ children and youth are often invisible to the professionals that work with them. Without training and supervision, professionals are left to their own devices to “practice” with these young people and their families.  In a non-judgmental environment, caring for LGBTQ+ children, youth, and families will discuss what professionals need to do to competently practice with this population.  Clinical examples and practice guidelines will be discussed and shared with participants.

Bio: For more than 48 years, Dr. Mallon has been a child welfare practitioner, advocate, educator, researcher and an internationally recognized expert on LGBTQ+ children, youth, and family issues particularly as they relate to child welfare. Through his writing, advocacy, and training efforts, he has influenced major changes in policy and practice concerning LGBTQ youth within these systems. Dr Mallon’s scholarship and practice has been recognized through multiple awards including, the Adoption Excellence Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr Mallon is the Senior Editor of the professional journal, Child Welfare and the author or editor of more than thirty-one books. Dr Mallon has lectured and consulted extensively throughout the United States, and internationally in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Norway, Singapore, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Dr Mallon earned his doctorate in Social Welfare from the City University of New York at Hunter College, holds an MSW from Fordham University and has a BSW from Dominican College. Dr Mallon also lives the talk he talks, in addition to being a child welfare professional for his entire career, he has been a foster parent and is the adoptive parent of now grown children.