"Connections in Practice" was a conference in Stirling, Scotland, in March 2000. Workshops summarised a few points on flipcharts. These were put up on the walls as part of a feedback process into the closing plenary. Some of the feedback followed the suggested format of: something you can do tomorrow back at work; someone or something that will help; someone or something that will hinder.

Feedback Points

• Journeys
• Genograms
• Grooming

• Children's loss of power regained by projects giving them a voice
• Pace of work
• Significance of feedback system
• If you believe it can happen and can prove it works
• Lack of funding for training resources etc

• The importance of boundary-setting and supervision
• Not shying away from emotionally difficult material
• The worker joining the family and complex family dynamics to process

• Understand the detail and complexity of differing systems
• Value the work that already takes place, offer support and consultation
• The immutability of large social welfare bureaucracies

• Person be included in their 'Life Plans' [learning disability w/shop]
• Collaborative approach helps
• Professional rivalry

• Importance of honest, clear communication
• Therapy has its range of influence ...
• and mustn't lose sight of endemic social issues, esp poverty.

• Different professional roles and the tension that can arise
• Importance of client's experience
• Facing complex tasks - 'paranoid' towards 'other' becomes easy
• Importance of 'both' and 'and'
• At times of change creativity can be lost
• Valuing what we know and not losing that
• Practitioner's opportunity to influence the supervision agenda
• The risk of deskilling in the face of change - the value of 'models'

• Role of the peer group
• Issues around assessment
• Can solution-focused work only look at moving on?

• Making connections without blowing a fuse! [adult MH w/shop]
• How can we find someone from outside to help the team develop?
• Promoting systems thinking / philosophy
• Start with one case

• Thinking further than the client
• Mapping it out gives a visual picture of how services impact on the client
• Staying with the not-knowing, seek local solutions, beware of the distant expert, real not ideal.

• The usefulness of a 'comprehensive assessment tool' for individuals (adult client or workers too, not just children?) and systems
• Honest communication and feedback
• Lack of understanding other (agencies') perspectives, language and culture

• Confidentiality and sharing information collaboratively (eg phone 'clinic' time reliably available)
• Not using jargon (eg in live teams and 'reflective' methods)
• 'Co-creating synergy'!

• The importance of family and family views
• Assessment is intervention
• Importance of interagency work being coordinated

• Keep the focus [solution-focus w/shop]
• Conflict with existing skills and styles

• Networking between agencies, breaking down barriers between professionals with a purpose
• Approaching power brokers to facilitate and empower exploring professional system around the child and family
• Commitment from professionals from different agencies
• Develop interest group or group supervision, leading to changes
• Difficulties for professionals to look at practice differently (eg GPs and prescription pads)
• Include all professionals and feedback plans

• [New project] Contacts made need followed up
• Systemic assessment important
• More resources, better communication and supervision, agenda influenced by workers
• Bad communication, lack of resources, pressure on time scales, management sometimes reluctant to listen to staff

• The family system can be mirrored by professional system or vice versa
• Systemic approach prevents feeling of individual worker being overwhelmed and helps gain understanding
• Prevents being 'sucked in' and 'stressed out'
• Reorganisation required between professionals in multidisciplinary team
• Can view client as customer and they may not receive wanted or adequate service despite often large number of multidisciplinary work

• Joint working, systemic support
• Evaluation, money, consultancy, management support
• Resistance to change, funders/managers, time availability
• Transparency of process, more helpful openness, best value and outcomes?

nick.child@virgin.net