How did it begin and how can you help?
The Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) worked with the Welsh Government in developing an online community of practice resource to improve the educational experiences of children and young people who are looked after in Wales – ExChange: Care and Education. The resource provides practitioners, foster carers, teachers, researchers, and care-experienced children and young people with a helpful ‘one-stop shop’ for information relating to improving outcomes in care and education. This led to an invitation to be involved in creating the new online community of practice resource ExChange: Family and Community.
In exploring what the website should look like, what topics should be covered and what it should be called we worked with the Welsh Government and representatives from Families First and Flying Start teams. We met as a group over two full days in November and February 2019 to begin brainstorming, engaging in creative activities and discussing how the new online community of practice resource could be developed. These workshops and later email discussions fed into creating the new online resource.
ExChange: Family and Community went live on Tuesday 19 March 2019 but this is just the beginning. We want this to be directed by the people who use it and we are looking forward to your ideas of how to develop the topics, and for materials to share.
The site is ready to use and has a host of useful materials but we are seeking to expand and are looking for further published and unpublished materials to be shared freely with the aim of supporting Welsh Government’s commitment to children, young people, families, and communities in Wales. We would love to hear from you.
To contribute email us directly at contact@exchangewales.org
