Access our range of video resources, podcasts, webinars and event presentations from conferences, leadership seminars, symposiums, and practitioner workshops that contribute to bringing together shared experiences and expertise for practitioners, service users and researchers. These training resources collate social care experiences and expertise in order to enrich the skills of the profession.

If you would like to contribute to ExChange, please contact us.

Blogs

KEEPING CONNECTED

KEEPING CONNECTED

Early Permanence

Early Permanence

Race in Adoption, the Absent Presence.

Race in Adoption, the Absent Presence.

Two mothers, one child: an adoptive mother and birth mother with direct contact

Two mothers, one child: an adoptive mother and birth mother with direct contact

Why do prospective adoptive parents choose to adopt older children?

Why do prospective adoptive parents choose to adopt older children?

White Ribbon

White Ribbon

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Conferences

Reframing Adoption Conference

Reframing Adoption Conference

It takes a Village: Global perspectives about care-experienced parents

It takes a Village: Global perspectives about care-experienced parents

Home Comforts: Getting it right in adult residential care

Home Comforts: Getting it right in adult residential care

When home is where the hurt is

When home is where the hurt is

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Listen and watch

Family Voice
Identities, family relationships and feelings of belonging within adoptive families through ‘name stories’ For individuals and families affected by adoption, experiences of the ‘identity’ and ‘belonging’ functions of personal names are especially likely to be multiple, significant and complex. Despite this, research focused on these issues is scarce (Pilcher, Hooley and Coffey 2020) and drawn mainly from studies of international adoptions. The applicability of findings to adoption cultures in England and Wales, where domestic adoptions are by far the majority type, remains unexamined. In this presentation we highlight the complexities of names and identities within adoptive families and discuss the impacts of changes in adoption practices in England and Wales over recent decades. We then outline our ongoing study, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, which aims to explore identities, family relationships and feelings of belonging revealed through ‘name stories’ told by adopters and by adults who were adopted as children. We will give examples of how participants have engaged with the creative writing element of the study. We conclude by suggesting ways our preliminary findings might inform professional advice, familial decisions and public discourses about names in adoption, enhancing outcomes for adoptees and their families. Dr Jane Pilcher, Associate Professor, Nottingham Trent University Dr Hannah Deakin-Smith, Researcher, Nottingham Trent University  Dr Jan Flaherty, Researcher, Nottingham Trent University ------------------------------------------------ Located within the Cardiff University School of Social Sciences, CASCADE Research Centre is concerned with all aspects of community-based responses to social needs in children and families, including family support services, children in need services, child protection, and looking after children and adoption. https://cascadewales.org/ ​ExChange is a project within CASCADE. ExChange an all-Wales network that brings the stakeholders in social care together to share experiences and expertise, and to learn from one another through free events and online resources. Our aim is to improve social work and social care services by creating dialogue and ongoing relationships between people with different types of expertise, informed by recent and current research. https://www.exchangewales.org/ Mae Canolfan Ymchwil CASCADE wedi'i lleoli o fewn Ysgol y Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Mae’n ymwneud â phob agwedd ar ymatebion cymunedol i anghenion cymdeithasol plant a theuluoedd, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau cymorth i deuluoedd, gwasanaethau i blant mewn angen, amddiffyn plant, plant sy'n derbyn gofal, a mabwysiadu. https://cascadewales.org/ ​Mae ExChange yn brosiect o fewn CASCADE. Rhwydwaith Cymru-gyfan yw ExChange. Ei nod yw dod â'r holl randdeiliaid o fewn gofal cymdeithasol ynghyd i rannu profiadau ac arbenigedd, ac i ddysgu o'i gilydd drwy adnoddau ar-lein a digwyddiadau rhad ac am ddim. Ein nod yw gwella gwaith cymdeithasol a gwasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol drwy sbarduno trafodaeth a meithrin perthnasau parhaus rhwng pobl â gwahanol fathau o arbenigedd, ar sail ymchwil diweddar a chyfredol. https://www.exchangewales.org/
Identities, family relationships and feelings of belonging within adoptive families | ExChange Wales
Safeguarding children living with foster carers, adopters and special guardians: learning from case reviews Case reviews have played a critical role in helping organisations to improve the safeguarding of children. The good practice guide Learning from Case Reviews is based on a UK wide study of 52 case reviews concerning 98 children who have experienced serious harm while living with foster carers, adopters or special guardians. The study spans 12 years and is the first to focus exclusively on reviews of cases of children in alternative family care. It shines a spotlight on those issues particular to these children – selection and assessment of carers; support for children and carers; and the supervision and management of arrangements. The study identifies recurring issues of concern in case reviews, including: • The assessment and selection of carers: exploring motivations, gaps in information, sensitive issues, carer attitudes and managing doubt and uncertainty; • Keeping the child at the heart of practice: improving placement planning, reviewing children’s wellbeing, listening to children, and closely monitoring vulnerable children; • Supporting carers: the level of supervision and oversight; reluctance to explore unease; asking questions about an absent child, avoiding manipulation, and maintaining authority; • Effective communication and collaboration: between agencies, including health, social care and education, and clarity about responsibilities to share information between services and across local authority boundaries. Please note this session will include presentations, questions and answers, and discussion groups (requiring your participation). ------------------------------------------------ Located within the Cardiff University School of Social Sciences, CASCADE Research Centre is concerned with all aspects of community-based responses to social needs in children and families, including family support services, children in need services, child protection, and looking after children and adoption. https://cascadewales.org/ ​ExChange is a project within CASCADE. ExChange an all-Wales network that brings the stakeholders in social care together to share experiences and expertise, and to learn from one another through free events and online resources. Our aim is to improve social work and social care services by creating dialogue and ongoing relationships between people with different types of expertise, informed by recent and current research. https://www.exchangewales.org/ Mae Canolfan Ymchwil CASCADE wedi'i lleoli o fewn Ysgol y Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Mae’n ymwneud â phob agwedd ar ymatebion cymunedol i anghenion cymdeithasol plant a theuluoedd, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau cymorth i deuluoedd, gwasanaethau i blant mewn angen, amddiffyn plant, plant sy'n derbyn gofal, a mabwysiadu. https://cascadewales.org/ ​Mae ExChange yn brosiect o fewn CASCADE. Rhwydwaith Cymru-gyfan yw ExChange. Ei nod yw dod â'r holl randdeiliaid o fewn gofal cymdeithasol ynghyd i rannu profiadau ac arbenigedd, ac i ddysgu o'i gilydd drwy adnoddau ar-lein a digwyddiadau rhad ac am ddim. Ein nod yw gwella gwaith cymdeithasol a gwasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol drwy sbarduno trafodaeth a meithrin perthnasau parhaus rhwng pobl â gwahanol fathau o arbenigedd, ar sail ymchwil diweddar a chyfredol. https://www.exchangewales.org/
Learning from Case Reviews: Safeguarding Children Living in Care | ExChange Wales
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