Event overview

We are pleased to invite multi-agency practitioners to the launch of Jersey's Children First (JCF), marking the start of a coordinated, island-wide approach to strengthening how services work together to improve outcomes for children and families.

This event will set out the vision, principles and implementation framework for JCF, providing practitioners and leaders with a shared understanding of the model and their role in its successful delivery. Through contributions from guest speakers and interactive workshops, participants will explore how JCF will support more consistent, child-centred practice across agencies.

Guest speakers

We are delighted to welcome Michael O'Connor and Dr Sheena Webb, nationally recognised experts in Child First and trauma-informed practice, united by a commitment to compassionate, relationship-based approaches that improve outcomes for children and families.

Michael O’Connor is a nationally recognised leader in Child First practice and Director of Child First Consultancy. With extensive experience across youth justice, children’s services and safeguarding, Michael has held senior leadership roles at Head of Service and Assistant Director level and has supported partnerships across the UK to embed evidence-informed, child-centred approaches that improve outcomes for children and families.

He is widely respected for translating research into practical, operational change and for his work supporting services to deliver outstanding practice and successful inspection outcomes. Michael is a passionate advocate for relationship-based practice, collaboration and systems that see children first

Dr Sheena Webb, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, trainer and nationally recognised expert in trauma-informed practice. Dr Webb has over 25 years’ experience working across NHS child and adult mental health services, the family justice system and multi-agency safeguarding settings.

She specialises in the impact of adverse childhood experiences, complex trauma and attachment, and is widely respected for helping organisations embed trauma-informed approaches that improve engagement, relationships and outcomes for children and families. Through her training, consultancy and clinical work, Dr Webb supports practitioners to understand behaviour through a trauma-informed lens and to develop compassionate, effective responses to those they support.

Event format: Three-hour face-to-face session
Arrival: Registration will open from 12.30pm.

Jersey Children First Launch Event