Conversations that Make a Difference for Practitioners

In this essential book, international trainer and consultant Dr Lisa Cherry engages professionals from education, social work, healthcare, and criminal justice in insightful conversations on a range of vital topics that will make a positive difference for practitioners and their workplaces today. With integrity and authenticity at its heart, the book explores what compassionate, inclusive leadership really looks like and how to get there. Each discussion brings a new perspective, exploring topics from nurturing belonging and anti-racist practices, to growing from adversity and supportive supervision. Placing an emphasis on learning from lived experience, collaboration, and caring deeply about others, these rich conversations share a range of trauma-informed practices and approaches which work, along with opportunities for the reader to reflect on themselves and their wider community. Children, young people and their families deserve the best version that adults can be, and each discussion helps all practitioners to understand that the work starts with us. This practical book is designed for action, for change, and to create something better than we have experienced before. Settings, services and systems must view themselves as connected communities that have to be well if there is any hope of supporting the people they serve. This book will inspire and encourage leadership teams across sectors to enact a change in culture which makes a difference for all.

Dr Lisa Cherry is a leading international trainer, specialising in assisting professionals working with vulnerable children and families to understand trauma, recovery and resilience. She is the Founder of Trauma Informed Consultancy Services, an organisation which provides a holistic approach to supporting those working in universal, targeted or specialist settings, services and systems. Lisa brings over three decades of working in educational and social care settings and a 35-year journey of recovery in overcoming her own experiences of trauma.

Foreword Acknowledgements Disclaimer Contributors Introduction Part One: LEADERSHIP Chapter 1 - Introduction to Part One Chapter 2 - A conversation with Emmerline Irving: A Journey Towards a Trauma-Informed System Reflection Discussion Points Chapter 3 - A Conversation with Carrie Peters: Taking Care of People of People Who Bring Lived Experiences Reflection Discussion Points Chapter 4 - A Conservation with Diana Osagie: Love in Education Leadership Reflection Discussion Points Chapter 5 - A Conversation with Alexander Kemp: Getting Honest About the Wellbeing Offer Reflection Discussion Points Part Two: BELONGING Chapter 6 - Introduction to Part Two Chapter 7 - A Conversation with Millie Kerr: The Implications and Need of Anti-Racist Strategic Action Planning Reflection Discussion Points References Chapter 8 - A Conversation with Hira Ali: Recognising and Addressing Islamophobia Reflection Discussion Points Chapter 9 - A Conversation with Jane Hinchliffe: Decolonising the Workplace Reflection Discussion Points References Chapter 10 - A conversation with Karen Treisman: Reflecting on Intergenerational and Ancestral Trauma Reflection Discussion Points