Join our free workshop about life story work. Learn what it is, when to consider it, techniques to carry it out (and get support), as well as how it can help kinship children build a positive self-image. Our workshops are a place where you’ll meet other kinship carers just like you and where you can connect and learn together.
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About the event
This workshop is for kinship carers who want to learn more about life story work (LSW).
You’ll explore what LSW is, when to consider it, techniques to carry it out (and get support), as well as how it can help kinship children build a positive self-image.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
- understand what LSW is, and the positive impact it can have on mental health, emotional intelligence/resilience, self-esteem and identity
- help children navigate LSW that focuses on what’s relevant to their needs, understanding and situation – including wider family context and impact
- recognise what effective LSW looks like specifically for children in kinship care
- use existing useful LSW and research, to develop practical, relevant LSW strategies specific to kinship care, as well as each child’s life stage/understanding level
- acknowledge the potential impact of difficult LSW discussions on children and carers, and how to approach this sensitively, with self-care in mind
- find and explore further information and support
You are invited to stay after the workshop to have a free lunch and connect with the other kinship carers. Please make a note of any dietary requirements in the booking form below.
After the workshop you will receive information and the presentation slides by email, along with a feedback survey.
About the venue
Our Kinship workshop takes place at St George’s Centre, 60 Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3DL.
We recommend using Google Maps to find the centre, as they share a postcode with some other businesses which can make it hard to find. They are located right at the end of Great George Street, next to Leeds General Infirmary, beside the footbridge.
The entrance is through the gates to the left of the St George’s Church steps. View the precise location on what3words.
There is no onsite parking available at St George’s Centre, however there are drop-off zones outside the main entrance.
Car parking is available at The Light Q-Park, St John’s Centre, and the Merrion Centre. These are all within 5-8 minutes walk of St George’s Centre.
St George’s Centre is just a few minutes walk from several bus stops on the Leeds CityBus circular route which stops at Leeds City Station, Town Hall, and Leeds City College.
To plan your journey, visit FirstBus.
Leeds Station is a 12-minute walk from the venue.
To plan your journey and buy train tickets, visit National Rail or Trainline.
Accessibility
The venue is fully accessible with step-free access. If you have any additional accessibility needs, you will be asked about this on our booking form. Please let us know so we can make this event as comfortable as possible for you.
Who will be there?
Our events are a warm, supportive space to learn about this topic, as well as meet and connect with other kinship carers.
Unfortunately, we ask that children do not attend this event. Local authorities will not be in attendance.
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.
You’ll be able to do this through:
- the email confirmation you received when you first booked
- or by filling out our training and support enquiries and complaints form
Who runs this workshop?
The workshop is run by Dr Paul Shuttleworth, who will be joined by Michelle Hall as co-facilitator.
About Dr Paul Shuttleworth
Paul is a registered social worker, having worked in practice with children and families for 20+ years, as well as in a kinship care team in Brighton and Hove. Paul completed his PhD (“What Matters to Children Living in Kinship Care”) in 2021, and worked at Sussex University as a BA social work professional officer, associate tutor, postdoctoral fellow, lecturer and research associate, as well as a senior lecturer at Kingston University. His book ‘Navigating Relational Spaces’ came out in Aug 2024, but he’s previously published and edited work in a variety of publications. Paul’s interests include listening to and valuing children’s views, kinship care, permanence, dialogical participation, critical realism, value-led research and practice, and breaking down the theory-practice divide.
About Michelle Hall
Michelle is a kinship carer for her 13-year-old grandson, having also been his special guardian for 10 years. She is a university lecturer, teaching students interested in working with children, young people, and families – as well as social work apprentices training for leadership roles. Her previous roles include leading services for young adults with learning disabilities and autism, family support and childcare.
Book your space
When you book your free place, we’ll ask you about your experience as a carer, your gender, age, ethnicity and other demographic information. This helps us make sure that the services and experiences we offer are as inclusive as possible and that our advice is relevant to your locality.
We will also ask about your accessibility needs. This is to ensure that you have a comfortable experience on the day.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or concerns about this or any other event, our team can help. Just fill in our training and support enquiries and complaints form and someone will get back to you.
Did you know we run workshops and events for kinship carers all over England? Browse our upcoming workshops and events now.
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