IFCO 2016 European Conference will take place on 1-4 September 2016 in Sheffield, the 4th largest city in England at the heart of the UK.
This year's conference theme "Pathways: A lifelong understanding of education, trauma, intervention and success" will focus on both education and trauma – something that a child in care can experience in every step of the care process. It will also reflect on many intervention opportunities and hopefully successes that each person experiences through the journey of care. Education, trauma, intervention and success represent moments of intensity in life-paths which may impact the future and be a lesson for experience, growth and knowledge.
The aim of the conference is, therefore, to create a platform for all stakeholders to share and understand their role and responsibilities in supporting children in care and care leavers.
THEMES
Conference subthemes include but are not limited to:
- Deinstitutionalization
- Ethnicity, marginalisation, refugee children and asylum seekers
- Formal and informal educational outcomes for children in care and care leavers
- Education and training of foster parents and social workers
- The role of policy makers, advocates, researchers and others
- Understanding trauma and its effect
- The role of formal and informal intervention with children and youth
- Measuring success
- Partnership, engagement and youth participation
PROGRAMME
The conference has been planned as a four-day event with the dynamic academic programme and complementing social programme including a Conference Gala Dinner on Saturday, 3d September 2016, traditional IFCO Silent Auction and the IFCO Members Networking event on the last day of the conference. On top of the programme for adults, IFCO 2016 will include two youth programme tracks focusing on self-advocacy and empowerment of the care-leavers. Delegates will be offered optional opportunities for networking and cross-over interactions.
A unique aspect of IFCO is the equal platform provided to all stakeholders including foster parents, foster families, children in foster care, care leavers, birth families, social workers, professionals, academics, policy makers and all who are interested in quality alternative family-based care.
FIND OUT MORE
For more details please visit IFCO 2016 conference website http://2016conference.ifco.info/. Follow all the latest about the Conference and join the conversation on social media by posting and tweeting using the official IFCO 2016 Conference hashtag #IFCO2016.