Reflections from Salford’s Emotionally Friendly Schools Conference 2025 & Save the date for 2026

📅Date: Wednesday 21st May 2025

📍Location: Salford Community Stadium

💬 A Day of Connection, Compassion, and Commitment

On a bright May morning, Salford Community Stadium became a hub of inspiration as professionals from across education, health, and social care gathered for the Emotionally Friendly Schools (EFS) Conference. The theme — Relational Approaches to Inclusion — focused particularly on the experiences and needs of care experienced young people.

Attendees included school leaders, teachers, teaching assistants, pastoral staff, social workers, and representatives from the voluntary and community sector — all united by a shared belief: that relationships are at the heart of inclusion.

🎤 Keynote Speakers Who Inspired

The day began with powerful keynote speeches that set the tone for deep reflection and renewed purpose.

• Sue Johnson, Virtual School Head, shared her wealth of knowledge and passion for supporting care experienced children, reminding us that every child’s story matters.
  
  
• Paris Bartholomew, a care experienced teacher, volunteer, and speaker, moved the room with her honesty and insight. Her lived experience brought the theme to life, showing how meaningful relationships in school can transform lives.

🛠️ Workshops That Sparked Change

The conference featured a rich variety of workshops led by:

• Paris Bartholomew
  
  
• The Virtual School Team and the Educational Psychology Service
  
  
• The Fight for Change Council
  
  
• Parents working in collaboration with Salford’s Safeguarding Children Partnership

These sessions offered practical strategies, real-life stories, and space for honest dialogue. The voices of young people and families were especially powerful — reminding us that inclusion must be co-created, not imposed.

🤝 A Shared Vision for the Future

What made the day truly special was the collective energy in the room. This wasn’t just a professional development event — it was a movement. A movement rooted in empathy, driven by evidence, and fueled by the belief that every child deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported.

📣 Let’s Keep the Momentum Going

The challenge now is to turn inspiration into action. Whether you're a teacher, leader, social worker, or community partner, your role in building relational, inclusive environments is vital.

👉 What can you do next?

• Reflect on your current practice — where are the opportunities to strengthen relationships?
  
  
• Share what you learned with your team or network.
  
  
• Reach out to your local Virtual School or Educational Psychology Service for support.
  
  
• Most importantly, keep listening — to each other, to families, and to the young people we serve.
  
  
• Book onto the 2026 EFS Conference
  
  

💡 Inclusion isn’t a strategy. It’s a way of being.

 EFS CONFERENCE 2026 – Save the Date!

 Title: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: The Importance of Culture in Education

 Date: Wednesday 20th May 2026  (9.15am to 3.30pm)

 Venue: Kings House Conference Center (Central Manchester)

 Booking: Will open in January 2026, there will be a reduced price for early bird tickets