This year’s theme, “Creating Positive Outcomes for Children, Families, and Staff”, was chosen by a working committee, comprised of regional representatives and departmental staff, and was based on direct input from Child and Family Services staff and management.

Keynote speaker for the conference will be Dr. Marion Perpick-Breton, a child psychiatrist from Toronto who has developed Parenting Capacity Assessment Guidelines, a framework to gather information, make clinical decisions, and determine the best long term case plan. Her work follows in the footsteps of the late child psychologist Dr. Paul Steinhauer who developed the Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare in Toronto.

Concurrent workshops have been designed to complement Dr. Perpick-Breton’s presentation. Local social work and early childhood experts will also be presenting on topics including self care, high risk youth and child development. Staff have an opportunity, during the two-day conference to learn from some of the leading local, regional and national Child Welfare Authorities in Canada. It is also an opportunity for staff to share their experiences and knowledge and to learn from each other.

Front-line child welfare workers carry out complex tasks and require continuing education to deal with increasingly difficult family issues. The Annual Child Welfare Staff Conference is a partnership of the Department of Health and Social Services and the regional health authorities.

The conference was first held in 1995 to provide advanced learning opportunities for Child Welfare Staff.