National Association of Independent Reviewing Officers

5/
And anyway, as care-experienced parents, do not always have access to the childcare or resources that our peers do. In bringing alongside my small sidekick, this was a testament to that lived reality.

4/
Fortunately the organisers were very supportive, keen to live their values of child centredness & inclusivity. The fact is, real social work is loud, messy & unpredictable. Children don’t wait for a convenient window to disclose. Nor do they choose a location of our choosing.

3/
So I took a risk. I decided to call the organisers a week in advance and present my dilemma; present online and risk blunting my message (and missing out on a rare opportunity to meet others in the field), or risk the baby wailing in real time. No mute button available!

2/
But given the theme was amplifying children’s voices in social care, it felt hypocritical to banish my own child from the building. How could I speak about dismantling adult-centric systems, whilst bowing down to the old “children should be seen and not heard” approach?

1/
My childcare fell through this week ahead of a keynote presentation. Initially I thought about joining virtually; I was concerned that my little one might cause too much disruption, and detract from my message.