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Back to Their Futures Summit

Transforming care for children subject to Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) orders

Tuesday 1 April 2025, 10am-5pm (registration and refreshments from 9am)
Birmingham Rep Theatre, Centenary Square, Birmingham 

The Back to Their Futures summit is an invitation-only, in-person event, being convened by Nuffield Family Justice Observatory. A wide range of professionals will be brought together to discuss ways to improve and transform care for children with complex needs, including those who are being deprived of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction of the high court (DoL orders).

Confirmed speakers
  • Professor Prathiba Chitsabesan (FRCPsych)
    National Clinical Director for Children and Young People’s Mental Health (NHS England)
  • Lisa Harker
    Director of Nuffield Family Justice Observatory
  • Ashley John-Baptiste
    Broadcaster, TV Presenter, Author and Inspirational Speaker
  • Sir Andrew McFarlane
    President of the Family Division
  • Host – Katie Razzall
    BBC News Culture and Media Editor, Co-presenter of The Media Show & formerly Newsnight UK Editor
  • Rachael Wardell
    President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS)

The summit aims to inspire, encourage and achieve change by:

At this important summit, significant and crucial steps towards improving care for children experiencing and living in complex circumstances will be taken.

Confirmed learning sessions

Choice of learning sessions delivered by multidisciplinary teams from across the country, including:

  • Greater Manchester
  • Newcastle
  • Somerset
  • Wales
  • West Midlands
  • York

Group A

Beyond collaboration: Developing an enduring delivery partnership in Somerset   

Confirmed speakers:

  • Claire Winter, Executive Director – Children, Families and Education, Somerset Council
  • Claudine Brown, Head of CAMHS and Interim Head of Paediatrics, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
  • Chris Luck CB MBE DL, Group CEO, Shaw Trust

Building Bridges: How integration between Children’s Social Care and Children’s Mental Health services can support better outcomes for young people (Newcastle)

Confirmed speakers:

  • Dr Kate Ward, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
  • Cath McEvoy-Carr, Director of Children and Families, Newcastle City Council
  • Dr Laura Rosby, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Trusting Hands Gateshead

Making belonging a reality: A new approach to caring for children in York

Confirmed speakers:

  • Ian Colpitts, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, City of York Council
  • Emily Noble, Head of Quality of Practice, City of York Council

Group B

Using the power of 10: The Greater Manchester approach to transforming care for children

Confirmed speakers:

  • Anne-Marie Carney, Senior Commissioning Manager, Greater Manchester Regional Care Cooperative
  • Debbie Blackburn, Director, Children’s Commissioning, Nursing and Wellbeing, Salford City Council
  • Jo Higham, Associate Director of Commissioning, Bee Together – Greater Manchester Children and Young People’s Mental Health Lead Provider Collaborative, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

Connecting the pieces of the puzzle with relentless hope: Anchoring secure attachment through a relational and whole system approach to the care of young people with complex needs (Gwent, Wales)

Confirmed speakers:

  • Jennie Welham, Regional Director, MyST
  • Gareth Jenkins, Head of Children’s Services, Caerphilly County Borough Council
  • Cariad Warrilow, Regional Data and Performance Manager, MyST

Learning from Provider Collaboratives: A multi-agency response to improve life outcomes for children and young people living in residential care in the West Midlands

Confirmed speakers:

  • Elaine Kirwan, West Midlands CAMHS Provider Collaborative – Director of Nursing/Director Toucan WMCPC
  • Michelle Cresswell, West Midlands CAMHS Provider Collaborative – Associate Director of Commissioning and Transformation
  • Natasha Moody, Assistant Director for Wellbeing and Partnerships and Chair of the WM Strategic Commissioning Network

 

You’ll be able to attend two of these learning sessions (one from Group A and one from Group B). If you haven’t already, please let us know your preferences for both by completing this form by Friday 21 March. We’ll do our best to assign you to the sessions you select, but it will depend on the number of places available. We will allocate places on a first come, first served basis, so please complete the form as soon as possible. If we do not receive your preferences, we will use our discretion to assign you to two sessions.

Programme

9:00 Registration and refreshments
THE CHALLENGE: A morning exploring the scale and complexity of the challenge from a range of perspectives  
10:00 Welcome   

Host Katie Razzall, BBC News Culture and Media Editor, Co-presenter of The Media Show & formerly Newsnight UK Editor
10:10 Children’s experiences film: A Normal Life

Discussion
10:30 Address/discussion

Katie Razzall and Ashley John-Baptiste, Broadcaster, TV Presenter, Author and Inspirational Speaker 
10:40 Keynote address

Speaker to be announced shortly  
11:00 Care for children on deprivation of liberty orders: what we know 

Lisa Harker, Director of Nuffield Family Justice Observatory 
11:20 Panel discussion and audience Q&A, featuring:

  • Prathiba Chitsabesan, National Clinical Director for Children and Young People’s Mental Health (NHS England)   
  • Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division  
  • Rachael Wardell, President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS)   

Chaired by Lisa Harker, Director of Nuffield Family Justice Observatory   
12:15 Photography exhibition of children’s experiences: A Normal Life   

Lunch and networking
THE TRANSFORMATION: A Chatham House Rule afternoon with shared learning and conversations   
13:10 Choice of learning sessions delivered by multidisciplinary teams from across the country, including Greater Manchester, Newcastle, Somerset, Wales, the West Midlands and York

Tea & coffee break included
16:00 Learnings and next steps

Katie Razzall
16:10 Closing keynote address

Ashley John-Baptiste
16:30 Closing remarks   
16:35 Refreshments and networking 
17:00 End of summit   

Getting to The Rep

On arrival, please head to the welcome desk in The Rep foyer.

The Rep
Centenary Square
Broad Street
Birmingham
B1 2EP

The Rep is attached to the Library of Birmingham and is next door to the International Convention Centre (ICC) and Symphony Hall. The venue is easily accessible by car, on foot and by public transport.

By car

Follow signs for the City Centre and International Convention Centre and use B1 2EP for sat nav. The Rep is within Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone – visit the Brum Breathes website for more information.

Parking

There is no onsite parking at The Rep.

Q-Park Brindleyplace Car Park is located just a few minutes away. By booking your parking space online you can save up to 40% on the daily parking cost and guarantee your space. You can save an extra 10% by using the promo code REP10 when you book.

Utilita Arena Car Parks are located minutes away. There are three public car parks, with the closest being the north car park, a six-minute walk away.

The following car parks are also close by: NIA, Town Hall Multi-Storey, Tennant Street, Holliday Street and Mailbox.

Parking for blue badge holders is available outside Brindley Drive Car Park and Cambridge Street at the rear of the building.

Public transport

The Rep is within walking distance of Birmingham’s New Street, Snow Hill and Moor Street train stations, which are all within one mile. Alternatively, there are taxi ranks at each station, or you can catch the West Midlands Metro from New Street or Snow Hill train stations to the Centenary Square tram stop, which is right outside The Rep. More details about the Metro, including a journey planner, can be found here.

The Rep is easily accessible by bus. For further information, call the Network West Midlands Journey Planner hotline on 0871 200 223 or click here.

For further information on parking and public transport, please visit Getting Here | Birmingham Rep.

Birmingham City Centre map

Accommodation

If you are considering staying in Birmingham, hotels near the venue include:

Accessibility

The Rep is fully accessible.
Parking for blue badge holders is available outside Brindley Drive Car Park and Cambridge Street at the rear of the building.

Wifi

Please log on to: UVB Wi-Fi
Password: Un1qu3VB

If you have any questions about the summit, please email fjosummit@nuffieldfoundation.org

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