In October 2025, CELCIS hosted the first in a new series of learning conversations exploring developments in residential child care across Scotland. This webinar built on over twenty years of CELCIS working alongside the residential child care workforce – listening, learning, and collaborating to strengthen a connected community of care. Over this time, engagement through events and through the Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care brought together the voices of those with care experience, practitioners, leaders, policymakers, partners, students, and academics.
Drawing on what practitioners had shared in recent engagement forums, and on insights from Journal articles, authors, and themes, CELCIS is creating new learning opportunities to share practice, support professional development, and build environments that enable meaningful change.
The first learning conversation Change in Residential Child Care in Scotland took place online on Tuesday 28 October. Speakers from Glasgow City Council, the Care Inspectorate, Aberlour Children’s Charity Sycamore Services, and CELCIS explored how residential child care was changing across Scotland. Attendees heard:
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How nurture principles were being introduced into Glasgow’s children’s homes
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How the Care Inspectorate was reshaping its inspection approach to place The Promise at the centre
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How Aberlour Children’s Charity Sycamore Residential Service was supporting staff teams to grow their skills and confidence through reflective practice
Drawing on content previously published in the Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, these stories highlighted how new models of care, regulatory change, and whole-system approaches were shaping practice, strengthening professional learning, and making a real difference for children, young people, and the adults who support them.
