This is an exciting opportunity to hear first-hand from Teresa Hills Director of Operations Luton Borough Council children’s service on the experience as a Family First Partnership Pathfinder, exploring how, as part of this government programme, Luton is creating the opportunity to be relational in culture and practice and what difference this is making to the loves of children, families and social workers.

Find out about:

• The learning and impact from the Luton journey so far.

In the Welsh context, self-care, supervision, and support are essential for sustaining ethical, resilient, and effective social work practice. They directly impact practitioner well-being, decision-making quality, and outcomes for individuals and communities. In Wales, self-care, supervision, and support are not luxuries—they are professional responsibilities. They ensure that social workers can deliver ethical, effective, and compassionate care in a complex and demanding environment.

Communication is vital in Welsh social work because it builds trust, enables co-production, and ensures culturally sensitive, rights-based practice—directly improving outcomes for individuals. When communication is clear, inclusive, and empathetic, people are more likely to engage, feel empowered, and receive support that meets their needs. • In Wales, communication is not just a skill—it’s a core intervention. • It affects how individuals experience services, understand their rights, and participate in decisions.

During this session we will hear from a social worker based in a GP practice and learn how being in a universal service such as a GP practice leads to people feeling more able to ask for support or be identified as needing input at a much earlier stage.

We will explore the benefits and challenges related to this service model and consider opportunities this may present in an MDT context.

There will be time for Q and A and general discussion.

Decision-making is central to the role of an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP), especially in Wales where the practice is shaped by both UK-wide legislation and devolved Welsh policies. AMHPs are expected to uphold human rights and ensure that any intervention is the least restrictive option. Their decisions protect individuals from unnecessary or inappropriate detention. AMHPs make decisions about whether someone should be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. These decisions have serious implications for a person’s liberty, autonomy, and treatment.

In this session led by Soyeb Aswat, we will explore different approaches to working with people experiencing a mental health crisis, which consider their spiritual needs, alongside traditional western social or medical intervention models.

You can read a recent blog post that Soyeb wrote on this topic here: https://socialworkwithadults.blog.gov.uk/2025/11/10/challenges-of-consi…