Raising Aspirations for Young People in Care Conference

Join us for a thought-provoking and inspiring conference designed for professionals, carers, educators, and advocates dedicated to supporting young people in care. This event provides a platform to explore new ideas, share best practices, and collaborate on ways to empower young people to achieve their ambitions.

Featuring keynotes (including from care experienced public speaker, Ian Thomas), insightful discussions, and valuable networking opportunities, the conference promises to be a meaningful experience for all who attend.

Book your place now and receive updates as speakers and sessions are announced.

Programme

8.45am - Arrival and registration
9.15am - Welcome by Professor Mark Simpson (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Teesside University)
9.20am - Ian Thomas (details to follow)
10.30am - Comfort break
10:40am - Teesside University student services and care leaver support
11.00am - Breakout session one
12.00pm - LUNCH
1.00pm - Keynote two
2.00pm - Breakout session two
3.00pm - Care-experienced Q&A panel
3.20pm - Plenary
3.30pm - Conference close

Breakout sessions

Something familiar
Social work senior lecturer Dr Rachel Close will present scenes from her upcoming feature length documentary, 'Something Familiar' followed by a Q&A discussion.

While trying to help a fellow adoptee find her birth mother, British-Romanian filmmaker Rachel delves back into her own family story looking for healing and closure. Launching an international search for her missing sisters she unearths a tragic legacy of abuse and exploitation. Can she harness the creative power of self-authorship to interrogate the ghosts of her past and write a new script for her future?

Something Familiar has been selected by Circle Women Doc Accelerator to present at this year's Cannes film festival and has been selected for the BFI Doc Society's Works in Progress at Sheffield DocFest.

Rachel was adopted from Romania as a baby and spent her teenage years in and out of the UK care system before going to university. On completing her BA she went on to complete two master's degrees at Teesside University and a PhD at the University of Central Lancashire which focuses on trauma-informed approaches to domestic abuse service provision.

More to follow...