A Signs of Safety Leaders’ Day will be held as part of the 2020 International Gathering, providing the opportunity for leaders to hear from directors and researchers at the forefront of applying and evolving the Signs of Safety implementation framework.
The programme will focus on four key areas:
1. IT
What we count and how we count becomes what counts. To implement Signs of Safety well an agency needs information technology that supports the practice approach. While we tend to think about IT solely as the recording system an effective IT solution:
- Records the practice
- Makes sense of the practice and record
- Assists practitioners to undertake their practice
Working with IT providers, Elia has developed a comprehensive suite of Signs of Safety-aligned software solutions so we will hear from:
Julie Firth, Assistant Director of North Tyneside Children’s Service, England, will describe the learning lab work her authority undertook with Liquidlogic and Elia to refine and customise the Signs of Safety recording system to their context and the significant differences this has made across her system, including a halving of practitioners’ screen time and improved service outcomes for families.
Graham Stubbs, CEO of Diona, a leading international provider of mobile software, will demonstrate the Signs of Safety systems of engagement software that practitioners use with families and explore the differences this software can make for any agency, no matter what system of record they utilise.
2. First Nations
Keeping with the Gathering theme of ‘Born to Belong’, we will hear from local Canadian leaders about the unique challenges faced by indigenous families within western systems, how they are working with these many dynamics, and how Signs of Safety assists them in delivering better outcomes in their services.
3. Safety Planning
Safety planning is the most important and challenging part of child protection casework and always raises whole system issues about risk thresholds and what is safe enough. Active leadership engagement is critical for the successful safety planning implementation and together we will look at the methods of governance and oversight the Signs of Safety provides that enable leaders to build a strong learning culture around the safety planning practice and decision making of their agency.
4. Messages from Research
Professor Eileen Munro will present the latest findings and learnings from research undertaken in large implementations in England, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Eileen will discuss how the Signs of Safety meaningful measures programme can most effectively be applied in children’s services agencies, the importance of strong and engaged leadership in generating better outcomes, and the ongoing work of building a robust evidence base around the Signs of Safety.
Register now
This Leaders’ Day will be held on Thursday 22nd October, directly after the three days of practice-focussed presentations of the main Gathering event. Registrations are now open.
Come along and see examples of Signs of Safety in practice during the three days of main Gathering presentations and then take time aside at the Leaders’ Day to hear about how to facilitate for that practice.