Thursday 12 June 2025
with thanks to our exhibition partners:
Social work with adults: Supporting individuals, families, and communities SPEAKERS
Leigh Jolly, Vice Convenor, Social Work Scotland
Leigh Jolly qualified as a social worker in 1996 and has spent the majority of her career in Children's Services Social Work She started out in Aberdeen City working in Children & Families Social Work in two areas with high deprivation prior to taking up the post of Child Protection Manager with Aberdeenshire Council in 2002 Since then Leigh has worked as a Team Manager in Children & Families, a Service Manager for looked after children services and has been Head of Children's Services Social Work since 2018 taking on the role of Chief Social Work Officer in 2020 As CSWO works closely with Health & Social Care and is passionate about social work practice and the importance of relationships in practice
Diane Fraser, Chair, Adults Standing Committee, Social Work Scotland
Diane Fraser is the Chief Officer of Adults Services at North Lanarkshire Council, having been a social worker for many years Diane is also a Social Work Scotland board member, and Chair of the Adults Standing Committee which advocates for relationships to be placed at the heart of practice and for effective partnership and integrated working with families, communities and other professionals within the statutory, independent and third sectors
Eddie Fraser, Chief Executive, East Ayrshire Council
Eddie Fraser worked as a social worker for many years, with Strathclyde Regional Council and Glasgow City Council prior to joining East Ayrshire Council in 1998. Eddie remained with East Ayrshire Council apart from a period of a year when he took up the role of Head of Community Care with South Ayrshire Council in 2007. He returned in 2008 to take up the post of Head of Community Care/Chief Social Work Officer before being promoted to Director of Health and Social Care in 2014. Eddie was appointed Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council in 2020.
Dr Neil Thompson, Independent author and educator, and visiting professor, The Open University
Dr Neil Thompson is an award-winning author and educator and a visiting professor at The Open University Through his online Academy, he offers a range of online courses plus Chartered Management Institute qualification in leadership in social care and people management, He is a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development His recent books include Authentic Leadership Revisited, Age and Dignity (with Cox, G R ) and Effective Problem Solving His website, with his acclaimed Manifesto for Making a Difference, is at www.NeilThompson.info.
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Radisson Blu, Glasgow
James Docherty, Project Manager, SVRU & Advisor, Community Justice Scotland
James has worked in Violence Prevention for 15 years and is currently a Project Manager within the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU) He leads on assessment, formulation and interventions that contribute to all SVRU activity using a public health approach to reduce violence Role deliverables include developing and delivering projects, ensuring interventions are rights respecting, trauma informed and inclusive of lived experience voice He has helped set up and worked on various innovative award winning SVRU projects that enable the process of desistance and prevention of violence in all its forms
Anne-Marie Monaghan, Project Lead, Community Brokerage Scotland
Anne-Marie worked in various roles in social work over 40+ years. This includes leadership in commissioning, managing a joint health and social work team and a head of service role. She led the first SDS Scottish Government test site. Anne-Marie was a non-executive director on GGCNHS Board, a member of Glasgow IJB and Chair of East Renfrewshire IJB She worked in an advisory role with Social Security Scotland and lead with SASW on the National Care Service She developed the SQA Community Brokerage Award and National Framework in conjunction with SDSS, is Chair of the Independent Living Fund, and sits on the NCS Advisory Board
Suzanne Swinton, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
Suzanne has been Chief Executive of the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) since 2022 She brings over 30 years of experience in independent advocacy, including more than a decade as CEO of Angus Independent Advocacy Throughout her career, Suzanne has seen how independent advocacy can make a real difference supporting people to be heard, understand their rights, and take part in decisions that affect their lives Suzanne brings a deep commitment to partnership, policy influence, and sector-wide support, ensuring that independent advocacy remains a vital and respected force within Scotland’s health, social care, and justice systems
Alison White, Chief Officer, West Lothian Integration Joint Board
Alison is currently Chief Officer of West Lothian Integration Joint Board, previously Chief Social Work Officer with Midlothian Council, and has worked most of her career in Adults Services Having previously held the role of Convenor of Social Work Scotland, she now sits on the Board helping shape the direction of the organisation Alison is also an Executive Group Member of Health and Social Care Scotland and a Board Member for Mental Welfare Commission Scotland
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Radisson Blu, Glasgow
08:30 Registration,refreshmentsandnetworking
09:30 Conferencewelcome–Chair:LeighJolly,ViceConvenor,SocialWorkScotland
09:40 SocialWorkScotlandaddress–DianeFraser,Chair,AdultsStandingCommittee,SocialWorkScotland
09:50 ScottishGovernmentaddress-MareeToddMSP,MinisterforDrugsandAlcoholPolicy,ScottishGovernment
10:00
Keynote:Navigatingthelifecourse-EddieFraser,ChiefExecutive,EastAyrshireCouncil
10:20 Refreshments,exhibitions,andnetworking
10:50
Keynote:Revisitingsystemstheory-NeilThompson,Independentwriter,educator,andvisitingprofessorat TheOpenUniversity
11:40 Panel:Powerthreat:People,potential,andpracticalities
Chair:LeighJolly,ViceConvenor,SocialWorkScotland
JamesDocherty,ProjectManager,SVRU,andAdvisor,CommunityJusticeScotland
Anne-MarieMonaghan,ProjectLead,CommunityBrokerageScotland
SuzanneSwinton,ChiefExecutiveOfficer,ScottishIndependentAdvocacyAssociation
AlisonWhite,ChiefOfficer,WestLothianIntegrationJointBoard
12:30 Lunch,exhibitions,andnetworking
13:30 Workshopsandpresentations-Delegatesattendfirstchoicefrombelow(checkbadgeforpre-registrations)
Whyweshouldn’tbeapplyingtheorytopractice,NeilThompson Recoveryinsubstanceuseusinglove,rights,andrespect,UniversityofDundee&Laterlifeaccountsofdrug use,UniversityofStrathclydepresentations
Sharingpracticeknowledgeofadultsafeguarding,UniversityofStirling Preventativesocialworkandhardtoreachpopulations,UniversityofStrathclyde&Meetingneedsinchildren andfamilieswhentransitioningtoadultservices,CELCISpresentations
TheDigitalShift:Supportingindividuals,families,andcommunitiesinachangingworld,SocialWorkScotland &COSLA
Whatdoesrelationship-basedpracticemeantoyou?SDSProject,SocialWorkScotland
14:30 Workshopsandpresentations-Delegatesattendsecondchoice(checkbadgeforpre-registrations)
15:30 Welcomeback-Chair:LeighJolly,ViceConvenor,SocialWorkScotland
15:35 Closingaddress-CllrPaulKelly,COSLASpokespersonforHealthandSocialCare
15:45 Closingremarks-Chair:LeighJolly,ViceConvenor,SocialWorkScotland
15:50 Conferenceclose
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Radisson Blu, Glasgow
LinkedIn: Social Work Scotland
Bluesky: @socworkscot