Social Work Week 2026

• creative social work practice, risk, and rights

• collaboration and co-production to achieve better outcomes

• developing and maintaining confident practice.

This session will explore social workers’ vital role in adult and children’s mental health services. We’ll look at the theme of “brave voices” and isolation within critical Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) decision making and wider mental health services.

Social workers can often feel isolated in other roles too, so this session is also relevant to those working outside of mental health.

Learning outcomes

We aim to:

• highlight social work’s unique contribution in multidisciplinary teams, where the role can often feel isolated
• encourage courage and advocacy for the profession itself and the people and carers we support, especially where social work voices may be outnumbered
• reflect on well-being and resilience for social workers working in challenging mental health contexts, recognising the importance of the right support at the right time.

Our goal is to create a space for learning, sharing experiences, and strengthening confidence in the distinct values and perspectives social work brings.

Speakers

• John Deegan - Social Worker and AMHP
• Alexandra Beckham - Head of Adult Services, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

Book your place

This session explores how small, relationship-focused actions can create meaningful change. We’ll look at how social workers, people who access services, and their carers can work together as equal partners, even within the constraints of modern social work. Through real-life examples, practical strategies, and collaborative discussion, participants will leave with ideas they can apply immediately to strengthen relationships and uphold core social work values.

Learning outcomes

In this session we’ll:

• explore the principles of relationship-based practice and why they matter in everyday social work.
• identify the ‘little things’ that can make a big difference for people and their carers.
• highlight the positive steps that we can take to improve practice and strengthen relationships.
• consider how to effectively work alongside people who access services and their carers as equals.
• reflect on real-life examples to inspire hope and motivation in practice.

Speakers

• Dr Katharine Daneski - Carers Consultancy Cymru

• Jan Foy

• Nick Andrews – Research and Practice Development Officer, Swansea University

• Emma Miller – Senior Research Associate in Social Work and Social Policy, Strathclyde University

• Dr Diane Seddon – Director of Research, School of Health Sciences Bangor University

• Cerian Twinberrow – Social Work Manager, Social Care Wales

Book your place

This session looks at why multi-agency working is essential for safeguarding and highlights the positive steps that have been made in Wales to make this more effective. It also explores some of the barriers and why “information sharing” continues to be seen as a concern in safeguarding reviews. We all know that people achieve better outcomes when professionals work together. So what stops this from happening, and what can we do about it?

Learning outcomes

In this session we’ll:

• explore the principles of multi-agency working and why they matter in safeguarding
• identify the barriers that can get in the way of achieving the best outcomes for people and their carers
• highlight the positive and meaningful changes that we can make to strengthen good practice
• reflect on real-life examples of effective multi-agency working.

Speakers

• Lance Carver - Director of Social Services, Vale of Glamorgan Council
  
• Nick Howard - Detective Inspector, Exploitation investigation and missing prevention, safeguarding and public protection department
• Louise Mann - Director of Safeguarding, Public Health Wales
• Esyllt Crozier - Social Work and Safeguarding Manager, Social Care Wales
  

Book your place

This session looks at the values and ways of working social workers hold on to, even when things around them are changing. It builds on what people with lived experience and frontline practitioners have told us truly matters.

For people with lived experience this means “being listened to, understood and recognised as whole people — not as tasks to complete or boxes to tick. They want their stories, strengths and hopes to shape the support they receive.

For frontline workers, what matters is feeling energised, being able to make a real difference, and being supported to practise with confidence and creativity. They want the space to build strong relationships, stay connected to their purpose, and work in ways that reflect their values.

Together, we’ll explore the challenges social workers face, while also sharing hopeful and practical ideas for the future.

You’ll hear stories from colleagues working in both children’s and adults’ services. We’ll focus on strengths‑based and relationship‑centred practice, and what helps us keep people at the heart of our work.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the session, we’ll:

• explore the values and approaches that keep us motivated and grounded
• talk openly about shared challenges in practice
• share stories that build connection, confidence and hope
• look at opportunities to practise creatively and with assurance
• build confidence in describing meaningful outcomes that reflect what matters to people.

Speakers

• Rhoda Emlyn Jones OBE

• Laurel Morgan — Therapeutic Service Interim Team Manager, Denbighshire County Council

• Rachel Hopkins

• Becky Evans — Chief Enabling Officer, Credu

• Jay Goulding — Strengths Based Practice Manager, Social Care Wales

Book your place

Please note, this session will be recorded, and an edited version available as a resource on our website after the session. The recording will only show the presenters - participants won’t be visible.

Technology, including AI, can be really useful, but it also brings risks around things like privacy, safety, and people’s rights. In this session, an expert from Blake Morgan LLP will talk about some of these challenges, the laws around these complex social work practice issues and think about how social workers can deal with these issues effectively.

Learning outcomes

In this session we’ll:

• examine how social media, surveillance, and new technologies affect social work practice
• look at how to balance individual’s rights with effective risk management
• explain the legal and professional frameworks that support decision making, illustrated with social work practice examples.

Speakers

• Eve Piffaretti - Blake Morgan LLP

Book your place

In this session, we will explore why the Welsh language is important for building relationship-centred practice. Louise Bretland-Treharne from People Speak Up CIC will share her experiences of Welsh language, identity, and language sensitive care.

A panel of Welsh learners and speakers working in social work and social care will reflect and draw on their own experiences and explain what the Welsh language means to them.

We’ll agree on a guiding question for the panel discussion and use relationship-centred frameworks to consider how language impacts relationships in practice.

Learning outcomes

In this session we’ll:

• use lived experience to explore the impact of language-sensitive practice and how this can shape future practice
• look at relationship-centred approaches within the context of the Welsh language, such as the Senses Framework, to understand how language helps create a sense of security, belonging, continuity, purpose, achievement, and significance
• identify why social workers and social care workers choose to learn Welsh and use it in practice, and how this affects their work
• develop practical ideas to strengthen Welsh language provision in your own role, service, or team.

Speakers

• Louise Bretland-Treharne
• Liz Parker - Social Care Wales
• Akinsanmi Apara
• Rhian Parry - Student Social Worker
• Eleanor Shaw
• Mair Davies

Book your place

This session is for social work professionals and students who want to better understand professional curiosity and how it supports effective practice.

We’ll look at what helps and gets in the way of professional curiosity, how ‘situated curiosity’ works in remote working and safe spaces for curiosity.

By the end of the session, you’ll leave with tools and approaches to strengthen your professional curiosity and support your practice.

Learning outcomes

In this session we’ll:

• the ‘what, why, and how’ framework as the basis of social care practice
• what we mean by professional curiosity
• why professional curiosity is so important
• why we’re struggling with curiosity in today’s practice
• how can we be more curious in practice.

Speakers

• Siobhan Maclean

Book your place

This interactive session is for leaders in social work who want to empower their teams to make confident, informed decisions and embrace professional curiosity.

You’ll explore practical strategies to support staff navigating complex situations, challenging assumptions and fostering a culture of openness and learning. Through reflective discussions and real-world scenarios, you’ll develop approaches that promote ethical leadership, resilience and clarity in uncertain times.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:

• apply structured approaches to guide staff in decision-making within social work
• build confidence in supporting teams through complex and high-pressure situations
• show and encourage professional curiosity to identify risks and opportunities
• create a culture of openness and reflective practice across your teams
• recognise and challenge biases that influence decision-making at all levels.

Speakers

• Bex Steen - Leadership Development Manager, Social Care Wales

Book your place