From Keeping Records to Memory Keeping in Residential Childcare

How do new technologies help in practice?

There is growing recognition that current record keeping practices do not adequately meet the life long needs of children  in care. The sector has been heavily criticised for the poor quality of records and the focus on risk and protection at the expense of capturing everyday childhood experiences.

We have developed an interactive all day workshop. It is a one day ‘train the trainer’ workshop which aims to support practitioners, archivists and policy makers to rethink their approach to record keeping for children in care. It is based on findings and resources produced by the Archiving Residential Children’s Homes (ARCH) project.

The event includes a range of interactive activities, presentations and reflective discussions. The materials used will be free to download from the ARCH project website and can be delivered within organisations.   

Who’s leading the workshop? 

• Ruth Emond (Professor of Social Work and Principal Investigator on ARCH) 
• Andrew Burns (Research Fellow on ARCH)  

Who should attend the event?

The event will be of particular interest to:

• Residential child care/social work practitioners
• Organisational archivists
• Social work managers
• Policy makers

Do I need to book?

Yes, book your place now. Booking closes on 24 October 2025.

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.