The Attachment Research Community (ARC) are pleased to announce that the 2020 ARC Annual Conference will still be going ahead this year. The safety of delegates and the ARC Team is extremely important and therefore, with this in mind the full CPD accredited day will be hosted on a virtual platform on the 24 November 2020 and available on-demand after the event.
This year’s theme is about Leading the Attachment Aware and Trauma Informed School. Schools and settings face considerable challenges in addressing the mental health and well-being needs of all members of their learning communities. From aligning approaches to behaviour management and mental health and well-being; implementing whole school approaches amidst many other development priorities; commissioning training and support for young people, to the staff and the SLT understanding the impact of strategy. The ARC’s 2020 conference will focus on these leadership challenges with inputs from school and setting leaders and researchers who have taken an approach based on attachment and trauma theory and seen its positive impact.
2020 has seen us having to adapt to ensure we are all safe and healthy has been a priority worldwide. However, as schools and settings return back to school, the ARC Annual Conference aims to address strategies and practices that may support the transition for staff and children.
The three keynote speakers have a huge depth of understanding and experience within education and will bring differing thoughts to the table for delegates to consider and inspire them to implement in their settings.
Paul Dix, member of TBAP Trust, has been working with the most difficult behaviours in the most challenging urban schools and colleges for the last 25 years in the UK and internationally. Paul has given evidence to the Education Select Committee and done extensive work with the Ministry of Justice on Behaviour and Restraint in youth custody. Paul will be providing a keynote session on “When the Adults Change”. There has never been a more important moment for adults to change. Isolation and exclusion are forever tainted ideas. Using examples of practice from TBAP and beyond Paul will show you why Relational Practice is more important than ever. He will show you how the most inclusive and successful schools are using Coaching, Mentoring and Outreach to change the game
Professor Barry Carpenter will be providing a keynote session exploring his Recovery Curriculum. Barry and Matthew Carpenter launched their Recovery Curriculum in April of this year in response to the national lock down as a way to provide guidance post lockdown. Barry’s keynote, “A Recovery Curriculum: Loss and Life for our children and schools in the pandemic” will allow delegates to consider;
- the emotional impact of the pandemic on children.
- the ‘loss’ experienced and how we might rebuild emotional resilience in children.
- the aims and purpose of a Recovery Curriculum.
- the process of re engaging the disengaged.
- resources to support children and aid teaching.
Kim Golding, a Clinical Psychologist, has worked for 35 years in the NHS before becoming independent. Throughout this experience Kim has always been interested in collaborating with parents to develop their parenting skills tailored to the needs of the children they are caring for. She was involved in the setting up and evaluation of the Integrated Service for Looked After and Adopted Children; providing support for foster, adoptive and residential parents, schools and the range of professionals around the children. Kim’s keynote session, “The impact of Attachment and Trauma in the Classroom”, will explore the impact of attachment and trauma on a child’s development and capacity for relationships and how this can compromise their ability to be successful in the classroom.
The day will also consist of several smaller group sessions where delegates can hear from the 2019 Alex Timpson ARC Attachment Award winners on how they have implemented attachment aware and trauma informed practices into their schools or settings, their challenges, successes and how they engaged their children and staff in improving their environment and learning. There will also be a session on behavioural policy and Dr Pooky Knightsmith will provide a session on how using the SWAN framework can support a safe & successful return to school.
To provide a real sense of using attachment and trauma theory in the classroom, a panel discussion will take place between academics and school senior leaders. The panel will explore how attachment research and theory is being applied to schools and settings – the challenges and successes so far.
Andrew Wright, ARC Chair, says; “We have all had to adapt this year and the Trustees were really keen to find a solution in order for us to still be able to provide the support and guidance many have come to look forward to in our Annual Conferences. The line-up this year is fantastic! All of our sessions will provide a wide depth of understanding and experiences that we hope will inspire and support delegates as we all try and muddle through this transition back to the classroom. Our children and young people are the future and we need to provide them with the best educational opportunities, this is a key time in their development and the topics that will be covered this year I feel will allow for schools and children to recovery effectively.
We have reduced the price of our conference considerably to allow for as many to join and take part. By hosting it virtually and having on-demand content will allow delegates to fit the conference around their increasingly busy schedules.”
To book your place at this year's conference click here.
Delegate prices are £99 + VAT for ARC members and £129 + VAT for non-members.
