BRIGHTER Futures for Children, the independent provider of children’s services in Reading, has announced its first virtual school conference.
The Virtual School is an online resource which helps children in care by providing extra support on top of that from the school they attend.
Now the virtual school is holding a virtual conference, its first ever, on Friday, June 17.
The free conference is being held online from 9am-3pm, with guest speakers contributing throughout the day and an award-winning short film showing.
The film, called BE-Longing, follows a young boy as he navigates living with a foster family.
The inaugural conference’s theme will be “United Journeys: Transform Lives, Shape Futures, Be Remembered.”
Leading practitioner and author, Louise Michelle Bomber, will open the conference as its keynote speaker.
She is joined at the event by fellow keynote speaker, author Jaz Ampaw-Farr.
Other guest speakers will include Bharti Dhir, a practitioner at Brighter Futures for Children; author, Lisa Cherry; and a representative from Coram Children’s Legal Services.
Di Smith, board chair of Brighter Futures for Children, said: “Our Virtual School is delighted to be staging its first annual conference with such an esteemed programme of influential speakers.
“I am sure social workers, designated safeguarding leads, foster carers and anyone else who works with care experienced children and young people will find this an inspirational and thought-provoking event.”
Registration of attendance for the event is now open, with each registration also being entered into a prize draw.
The winner will receive one of five copies of Bharti Dhir’s book, Worth.
School staff are also eligible to collect a copy of Louise Michelle-Bomber’s Attachment Aware Schools series.
Brighter Futures for Children is a not-for-profit company owned by Reading Borough Council, which independently delivers education and children’s services in Reading.
Its virtual school service aims to increase attainment in education, and narrow the gap between children in care and their peers.
The Reading Virtual School Conference will take place from 9am-3pm on Friday, June 17.
For more information about the Reading Virtual School, visit: www.brighterfuturesforchildren.org/.
To register, visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk.
