Pictured: Chief Exec Kenneth Lawrie (centre) and Chief Social Work Officer Sara Lacey (front centre) join social work professionals for the daylong event.

The event focused on Falkirk Council’s Closer to Home strategy, an approach that shapes Falkirk’s social work practice, and aligns closely with the principles of The Promise – a national commitment to improving the lives of care-experienced children and young people in Scotland.

The event provided an opportunity for staff to come together, exchange ideas, and reflect on how best to support families and young people locally.

With presentations from leaders, personal stories, and collaborative discussions, the day fostered a spirit of collective learning and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children in need of care and protection.

Pictured: Beth-Anne McDowall, a guest speaker with care-experience, told her personal account of the challenges she faced whilst in the care system.

Event highlights included:

• Sara Lacey, Falkirk Council's Chief Social Work Officer, alongside Chief Executive Kenneth Lawrie and Alison Sutherland from Promise Scotland, opening the event by highlighting the importance of the Closer to Home Strategy and the 2024-2030 national Promise Plan and its impact on social work practice in Falkirk.
• Beth-Anne McDowall, a guest speaker with care-experience, told her personal account of the challenges she faced whilst in the care system. Her lived experience provided critical insight into how services can better support young people in similar circumstances and the enormous difference they make when they get it right.
• Cathy Megarry, Promise and Whole Family Wellbeing Lead for Falkirk, highlighted the importance of whole family support in ensuring the long-term successful outcomes for children and shared poignant views from our Parents focus group on the importance of being heard.

Pictured: More than 100 social work professionals attended.

Chief Social Work Officer Sara Lacey said:

"This gathering is a clear reflection of our commitment to children and families across Falkirk. The Closer to Home strategy and our dedication to The Promise represent our shared vision that by working together, we can ensure children grow up in nurturing environments that allow them to flourish within their families and communities. Our discussions have reaffirmed our commitment and will shape how we move forward as a service with our partners."

Interactive workshops and discussions

Pictured: Representatives from Falkirk Champs came along to share their experiences and views.

In addition to the keynote presentations, the event featured a series of interactive presentations designed to give staff hands-on experience in shaping the future direction of social work practice in Falkirk. Topics included:

• Progressing permanence: Ensuring timeous, stable and permanent care arrangements for children who cannot remain with their birth families.
• Foster care: Exploring new approaches to foster care recruitment and retention.
• Strengthening kinship care: Focusing on how kinship care can be supported and expanded to provide more children with the chance to remain within their extended families.
• A presentation from the Champs: Falkirk's Care Experienced young people's group provided an opportunity to establish if the workforce hopes and wishes for young people were aligned with those of the Champs.

Shared commitment

The day’s session reinforced Falkirk Council’s commitment to placing babies, children, young people, and families at the heart of social work practice.

Through relationship-based approaches, partnership working, and prioritising the well-being of the whole family, the Closer to Home strategy continues to focus on preventative approaches and keeping families together whenever it is safe to do so.

By supporting children in their communities, Falkirk’s social work teams aim to create a future where children experience care within their own family networks whenever possible Sara added:

"Our aim is to keep children at home with their families wherever it is safe to do so, and when that is not possible, to do all we can to ensure they are cared for by their extended families within their own communities. This event has demonstrated the incredible dedication of our staff to achieving that vision, and we will continue to build on the excellent work already underway."