Thrive Forward
SCA conference a resounding success: hearing from key national and regional sector speakers
Yesterday, Tuesday 13 May saw Surrey Care Association hold its annual conference.
Titled: Thrive Forward Compassion, Quality & Bold Journeys – over 80 delegates from across Surrey met to hear key speakers from national and regional sectors in adult social care.
Thrive to…
With speakers focusing on how to thrive through the challenges we face, the conference also celebrated our Surrey workforce and all those accessing services.
Key note speaker Nadra Ahmed CBE, Chair of the National Care Association and former resident of Surrey spoke to the conference on shouting loud about the work they do and to thrive through their successes:
‘Fit for the future together – we are unique in the services that we provide and unique in the culture we create in our services. Social Care makes lives better – we are a key part of the economy and community.’
Trudi Davidson from EF training delivered some ways to thrive through looking after our own and staff wellbeing, and Fraser Myles Rickatson from Care England looked at how delegates striving for better could lobby government for better support to thrive:
‘We must treat securing its [adult social care] future as a national priority,’ he said.
Barbara Sowa from Surrey Heartlands guided conference on quality improvement directly relevant to the care sector. Delegates were asked for one word to describe what makes change successful, and results were not surprising including: ‘collaboration’, ‘commitment’, ‘ownership’, ‘vision’ and ‘togetherness.’
Joe Martin from Towergate Insurance spoke to delegates on workplace trends and how respond and thrive in the market.
David Holmes spoke to conference on Big Life Adventure, a space for those people supported to thrive: ‘This is the most exciting thing I have done in adult social care,’ he said. ‘Safe social media space for people with Learning Disabilities. It uses purpose built embedded AI designed to keep people safe.’
SCA Chair Maria Mills gave closing remarks at the conference saying: ‘With the Casey Review taking a while to complete and report back, what can we do now? We are now tasked with winning back hearts and minds for social care – we are in a position to do that and big up social care and our thanks to Nadra Ahmed for reminding us of that.’
Maria continued that she was grateful to speakers focusing on emotional resilience and focusing on the joy: ‘We have the privilege of being part of that with the people we support,’ she said.
Ended Maria: ‘We have a vision of social care and what it can be, please continue to connect with us and tell us what you would like us to cover within that as members.’
👏 Our special thanks to the Include.org choir for providing us with lunchtime musical entertainment and marking our 20th year! 🎶 🎂