Join our professionals' network for social workers, academics and other professionals with an interest in kinship care.
Kinship Knowledge Exchange: Navigating the kinship local offer
Join this in-person event to learn about how policy and practice changes are affecting the kinship care landscape. Watch keynote talks, take part in conversations and learn about what makes an effective and trusted kinship local offer.
Book your place
Key information
Date: Monday 16 June 2025
Time: 10am to 3pm
Venue: The Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3BU
Ticket price: £120 per person
More details about this event are available below. If you have any questions, please get in touch by emailing us at commissions@kinship.org.uk.
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About the event
This in-person knowledge exchange will explore what makes an effective and trusted kinship local offer.
The day will include keynote talks on:
- the national direction and vision for kinship care
- policy and statutory guidance
- lived experience, equity and system change
We’ll also cover:
- best practice examples from local authorities
- conversations on how policy and practice are changing within kinship care
- opportunities to network and speak to other professionals
By the end of the event, you’ll understand how an effective kinship local offer should be:
- co-produced
- accessible
- built around the lived experiences of kinship families
This event costs £120 per person (we do not charge VAT). Your ticket includes lunch and refreshments.
Who the event is for
This event is for any professional working with kinship carers in England and Wales. It will be ideal for:
- local authority, virtual school or other senior leaders and decision-makers
- virtual school leads
- practitioners shaping or delivering kinship carer support services
to:
- learn more about the local offer
- hear about best practice examples
- connect with others in the sector
This event is not for kinship carers. Kinship carers can find support events and workshops on our training and events page.
About the venue
Our Kinship workshop takes place at The Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3BU.
- District line and Circle line stop at St. James’s Park underground station, a 5-minute walk
- District line, Circle line and Jubilee line stop at Westminster underground station, a 7-minute walk
- District line, Circle line and Victoria line stop at Victoria underground station, a 15-minute walk
Visit the First Bus website to plan your journey.
The closest train stations are:
- London Victoria, an 18-minute walk
- Charing Cross, a 21-minute walk
- London Waterloo, a 25-minute walk
To plan your journey and buy train tickets, visit National Rail or Trainline.
For more details about the train stations and their locations, visit:
Accessibility
The Abbey Centre is fully accessible with step-free access. If you have any additional accessibility needs, you can tell us on our booking form. Please let us know so we can make this event as comfortable as possible for you.
Agenda for the day
This agenda is being updated and may change before the event.
Janet Kay OBE, Chair
The event will be chaired by Janet Kay OBE, Kinship trustee, local support group leader and longstanding advocate for kinship carers.
Facilitation throughout the day will be provided by Tim Fisher, National Practice Lead at Kinship.
A powerful short film capturing what belonging and identity mean to children in kinship care.
Lucy Peake, CEO, Kinship
Emma Davies, Deputy Director, Adoption, Family Justice and Alternatives to Care, Department for Education
Co-production, Identity, and Inclusion
Louise Spragg, Principal Social Worker, Telford & Wrekin Council; Chair of the Principal Social Worker Network
Michelle Hall, kinship carer and doctoral researcher
Michelle’s PhD research focuses on contact between kinship carers and birth parents. As a lived experience expert and academic, she bridges theory, policy and practice with rare insight.
Dr Paul Shuttleworth, social worker, researcher and lecturer
Paul’s work highlights the perspectives of children in kinship care, especially around what matters to them in everyday practice. His research foregrounds voice, narrative, and ethical listening.
Al Coates MBE, social worker and Churchill Fellow
On trauma, early adversity, and systemic response – Al draws on his practice expertise and recent Churchill Fellowship to share insights on peer support and helping systems work more relationally with families.
11:25am to 11:40am – Break
Sharon McPherson, Co-Founder, Families in Harmony
Anam Raja, Research Manager, Kinship
Reflecting on the morning’s themes.
Janet Kay OBE and Tim Fisher
12:40pm to 1:20pm – Lunch
Building on the national picture
Jahnine Davis, National Kinship Care Ambassador
Financial support, local authority structure and practice
Becky Driscoll, research associate, Centre for Care, University of Sheffield
Claire Robinson, Service Manager, Sheffield City Council
Inputs from local authorities sharing how they are building and delivering their Kinship Local Offers—what’s working, what’s evolving, and what support is needed.
Nicola Hope, Head of Kinship Care, Staffordshire County Council
Jenny Williams, Children’s Service Manager, and Lucy Collier, Team Manager Nottinghamshire County Council
Mandy Wilkins, Team Manager, London Borough of Ealing
Elizabeth Souter, Service Manager, London Borough of Wandsworth
Gemma Abrey, Team Manager, Torbay Council
Reflections on the afternoon’s themes.
Janet Kay OBE and Lucy Peake
What happens if you need to cancel your place?
We understand that life gets in the way sometimes, so if you need to cancel your place please do try and let us know as soon as possible. Unfortunately, refunds will not be available after 30 May.
To cancel your place, please email commissions@kinship.org.uk.
Book your place
To book your place, please fill out the form below.
In the form, we ask for basic information about you and your role. This helps us to make sure the event meets the needs of attendees. We also ask about your accessibility needs and any dietary requirements you have. This is to ensure that you have a comfortable experience on the day.
Please note if you are booking on behalf of others, you will need to provide information about all attendees you are booking for.
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