STANCE Conference 2026

STANCE Conference 2026 realizou-se a 1 de outubro de 2026, COSLA Conference Centre, em Edinburgh.

The Moore House Group is proud to present the STANCE Conference 2026 . This landmark event serves as a bridge between theory and practice, bringing together practitioners, clinicians, and educators from across the sectors of residential care, fostering, psychology, and specialist education. At its heart, STANCE is about building a community of practice. We are dedicated to creating a space where professionals can collaborate, innovate, and refocus on what matters most: the wellbeing and development of care-experienced and neurodivergent young people. 2026 Keynote Speakers We are set to host an exceptional lineup of speakers who bring a powerful blend of professional expertise and lived experience: Alex Partridge: Founder of LADBible & UNILAD and a prominent ADHD Advocate. Chris Wild: Best-Selling Author, International Care Reform Adviser and Director of Social Impact at Foster Greatness UK. Professor Mark Smith: University of Dundee, leading voice in social work and education. What To Expect Expert Keynotes: Hear from leaders in social media, government advocacy, and academic ethics on the stance we must take for our young people. Interactive Panels: Dynamic discussions featuring our keynote speakers and clinical experts, tackling the toughest questions in the sector today. Specialist Workshops: Breakout sessions focused on trauma-informed tools, neurodivergent-friendly environments, and achieving clinical excellence in everyday practice. Be part of the conversation. Take your #STANCE. For more information, email us at events@moorehousegroup.org.uk STANCE Conference 2026: Workshop Descriptions 1. Foster Greatness UK Presenter: Chris Wild, with Alexandra Rudman & Scott Henderson Chris Wild and his colleagues have combined their lived experience of care with their professional experience to create Foster Greatness UK — a connected care ecosystem designed to improve visibility, access and insight for care-experienced people and the professionals who support them. The team is currently testing the National Care Experienced Hub (NCEH) across England alongside the Department for Education, local authorities, foster carers, residential care teams and national charities including NYAS, The Rees Foundation and The Fostering Network. This session will introduce the Foster Greatness UK model and explore how digital infrastructure could improve access to support for care-experienced people. 2. Reshaping Neurodiversity: ADHD, Identity & Built-Differently Minds Presenter: Alex Partridge, Founder of LADBible & UNILAD and Host of ADHD Chatter Following his keynote presentation, Alex Partridge leads an intimate and practical discussion and Q&A exploring ADHD, identity and neurodiversity. The session will encourage participants to rethink how we understand and support neurodivergent people, drawing on Alex’s own experiences and perspectives. 3. Beyond trauma: Reflections on the needs of unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugees Presenter: Professor Mark Smith, University of Dundee Back in 2017, Mark and his wife, having been long-term respite carers, took on the care of a young asylum-seeker moved to Scotland following the dispersal of the Calais camps. Through supporting him and several other asylum-seeking youngsters, Mark began to question the routine application of Western psychological concepts like attachment and trauma. This session explores why experiences that qualify as traumatic do not always lead young people to identify as such, offering a broader, more nuanced lens through which to consider how past experiences shape present functioning. 4. Relational Practice & Understanding Pain-Based Behaviour Presenter: Dr John Digney, Clinical Specialist & Practitioner Distressing or complex behaviours in care and educational settings can be expressions of underlying pain and unmet emotional needs. Dr John Digney will provide a practical and accessible framework for understanding pain-based behaviour, helping professionals maintain their own emotional regulation, avoid power struggles and provide consistent, trauma-informed support during challenging situations. 5. Wee Breathers Presenter: Laura Ross, Scottish Attachment in Action Working with children who have experienced disrupted attachment and trauma can take an emotional toll on education and care professionals. This workshop introduces Wee Breathers, an attachment-informed and trauma-sensitive reflective supervision programme. Participants will explore how protected, reflective spaces can help professionals process the emotional demands of their roles, support wellbeing and build their capacity to develop stronger relationships with vulnerable young people. 6. Safe & Inclusive Practice: Supporting LGBTQ+ Young People to Flourish & Thrive Presenter: Ann Marriott, Youth Work Manager, LGBT Youth Scotland Care-experienced LGBTQ+ young people can face intersecting challenges around trauma, identity and psychological safety, with additional barriers sometimes experienced by neurodivergent young people. This workshop explores practical trauma-informed and neuro-affirming approaches across residential care, fostering, specialist education and therapeutic settings. Participants will consider how relationships, language and organisational culture can help create safer and more inclusive environments where young people feel seen, respected and supported. 7. Creating Cultures of Safety: The Principles of Restraint Reduction Presenter: Christopher Docherty, SCM Lead & Senior Trainer, Safe Crisis Management Europe This workshop introduces the core philosophy of Safe Crisis Management (SCM), moving away from simply “managing” challenging behaviour and towards proactive approaches to de-escalation. The session will explore the legal and ethical importance of reducing physical intervention, while considering how professionals can create safer environments and respond effectively to situations of distress. 8. An Introduction to DDPi Worldwide Presenter: Fiona Duncan, DDPi Board Member & Head of Training and Development Target audience: Social workers, psychologists, educators, residential child care providers, foster carers and parents. This session introduces the principles of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and explores how approaches such as PACE can be adapted and applied within neurodiverse contexts and complex care settings. Using practical examples and narrative storytelling, the workshop will explore how DDP principles can support children and young people, as well as the care teams and families around them. 9. Education Law & Additional Support Needs Presenters: Ross Wight & Sophie McBride, Govan Law Centre Govan Law Centre's Education Law Unit runs Let's Talk ASN Scotland, providing advice and representation to parents of children with Additional Support Needs in relation to education. This session will explore some of the most common education law enquiries received by the service and how parents are supported. It will also cover Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSPs), including who qualifies and their intended purpose, as well as the placing request process and appeals process for special schools.