Social care professionals from across Wales assembled at Venue Cymru in Llandudno this week for the first of two social care research roadshows co-hosted by Health and Care Research Wales and Social Care Wales.

Attendees at the north Wales event, which focused on social care research for children and families, were welcomed with a keynote from former Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Professor Sally Holland from CASCADE, who discussed the impacts of poverty on child and family wellbeing.

As well as taking the opportunity to network with colleagues from across Wales during a welcome return to in-person events, delegates participated in engaging parallel sessions from across the social care landscape. Speakers from CASCADE, Wrexham Glyndwr University and the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse shared best practices from their research on preventing children from being in care and working with at-risk young people and those experiencing ongoing trauma.

Following lively discussion groups, a second set of sessions, presented by Camden Council, Peer Action Collective, Lancaster University and DECIPHer, explored strengths-based work with children and families and the current learning around working with looked-after children.

Professor Kieran Walshe, Director of Health and Care Research Wales said:

Health and Care Research Wales is proud to co-host this important series of events with our colleagues at Social Care Wales. We made a renewed commitment to social care research in our recent three-year plan, and events like this, which bring together practitioners and researchers to share experiences and best practice, are crucial to improving outcomes for the people of Wales.”

The second roadshow, focusing on social care and support for older people, will take place on Tuesday 13 June at Cardiff City Hall.