Person Centred Planning (PCP) is a powerful tool for visioning, future planning and team building. It gets everyone on the same page and creates a progressive, constructive atmosphere so it is especially useful for people who are feeling ‘stuck’ or in a really desperate situation. The PCP processes we teach are called “PATH” and “MAPs”, and are both used for different situations. “To facilitate a group, family, team or organisation in thinking together around a given challenge or issue. Here is an opportunity to experience for real the person centred, futures planning tool – MAP/PATH” (Pearpoint, Forest, O’Brien. 1989). PCP can focus on an individual, with family and friends in the room supporting them, or focus on a group who want to set goals, and realise their potential as a team. PCP focuses on hopes and dreams, so is a very positive approach to planning, and utilises graphic facilitation, making it a very friendly way of working that is accessible to everyone. This unique, hands on PCP training course explores the difference between ‘person-centred thinking’ and ‘service-centred thinking’. Traditionally, we have not always listened deeply enough to the needs of those we are planning for. Often ‘medical model’ thinking dominates our planning for those with the most complex needs. Typically we plan ‘about’ rather than ‘with’ children and adults. We examine this ‘service centred’ approach that most professionals are used to, and question its limitations. This values based approach to inclusion will give participants the ‘theory’ behind why thinking and working in a person centred way is so important, and challenges people to strive for more for the people we are planning around. In addition to the knowledge and theory, this course empowers participants to facilitate their own Person Centred Plans using the PATH or MAPs process and provides the skills to do this effectively. Learning objectives Strengthen understanding of how to think in a person centred way Knowledge of the steps of PATH / MAPs process Ability to facilitate PATH/MAPs process Ability to graphically facilitate a PCP meeting Develop problem solving and planning skills Inclusive Solutions offer: We could provide training for a team of staff, or we could facilitate a PATH or MAP around a disabled person. We can also offer bespoke training packages, please enquire for more details. 1 day “Introduction to PCP” with up to 100 attendees focusing on ‘Person Centred Thinking’ – includes live demonstration of PATH or MAPs Process (for a member of the group / with a student and their family/friends). 2 day “PCP Skills training” – More skills focused, lots of practice. Includes Graphics academy, Process academy and Coaching (Best with under 30 attendees). 2 day “Introduction to PCP with Skills training” – includes live demonstration of PATH or MAPs process, Graphics academy, Process academy and Coaching (Best with under 30 attendees). Half day PATH or MAP for a disabled person, led by two experienced Inclusive Solutions facilitators. Full day PATH or MAP for a team, organisation or group such as a full school staff led by two experienced Inclusive Solutions facilitators. Typical Structure of 2-Day “Introduction to PCP with Skills” Training This course is most useful when delivered over 2 days so we have time to cover the ‘skills’ behind facilitating a PATH or a MAP. Here is an example of what usually happens. If you need us to, we can tailor any of our courses to suit your specific needs. Day 1 AM What makes a good welcome?Service centred thinking and working – what does it involve, how does it make people feel?Reflections on current practices – what is useful and what is harmful?Introduction to underpinning values of person centred thinking and working In depth exploration of the fundamentals of inclusion – encouraging identity, focusing on gifts and capacities Sharing success stories, and personal insight from experienced psychologistsShowcasing a number of practical PCP process in actionIntroduction to the “5 service accomplishments”, or “5 ordinary needs” PM Full PATH process demonstration, led by 2 experienced facilitators – one process facilitator and one graphic facilitatorVolunteers will make notes on what they see the facilitators doing and feedback at the end of the dayFeedback, Q&A Day 2 AM Graphics Academy – we will ease you into the world of graphic facilitation and show you how simple it really is – includes live coaching and graphics tutorial, then participants will practice on each other by facilitating the first 1 or 2 sections of the PATH Process Academy – we will give you some pointers about holding the group, and facilitating in an inclusive way, this is another chance to practice your new graphics skills PM The group is divided up, and volunteers are selected to facilitate PATH meetings The group then run the PATH’s simultaneously with an experienced coaches in the room to guide and to be available for questionsWe reconvene to feedback about the process and digest all we have learntBrief Q&A session and then final reflections
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Ciara McEllin is building her list as a Junior Agent at Watson Little. She reads widely across book club, upmarket and literary fiction. Within these areas, she is drawn to novels that examine family and relationship dynamics, sexuality, identity, and vulnerability. Ciara is keen to hear from writers who take a fresh approach to these themes, whether that be a new perspective on a traditional narrative or a focus on characters and voices that remain underrepresented: think Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday or Monkey Grip by Helen Garner. She will always want to read beautifully written novels with a strong sense of place, tangible characters and an essence that stays with you – living deep in your bones – long after you’ve finished reading. Recent reads Ciara has enjoyed include: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, Close to Home by Michael Magee, Siblings by Brigitte Reimann, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, The Idiot by Elif Batuman, Highway Blue by Ailsa McFarlane and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley. At the moment Ciara is particularly eager to see: - Sexy, sensual and seductive stories that explore desire and sexual boundaries not often represented in literature such as Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej, Cleanness by Garth Greenwell and Mrs. S by K Patrick - An atmospheric and existential thriller in the vein of Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, In The Cut by Susanna Moore and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - An intoxicating coming of-age-tale that captures the aliveness, intelligence and wildness of girlhood like Brutes by Dizz Tate, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Girls by Emma Cline - Books that are joyful or brutal, particularly those that are both, similar to Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel, Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - Stories exploring an Australia or Ireland that is rarely seen in literature for example A Loving, Faithful Animal by Josephine Rowe and Wild Houses by Colin Barrett In non-fiction, Ciara enjoys narrative, memoir and essay collections. She is interested in hearing from experts, academics, critics and journalists writing about society, culture and food, and excited by writers seeking to revise, reshape or revolutionise the conversation in their area of expertise. Some of her favourite non-fiction titles include How To Survive A Plague by David France, The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye, the Living Autobiography Series by Deborah Levy, Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich, King Kong Theory by Virginie Despentes; and she particularly enjoys the work of M.F.K Fisher, Annie Ernaux, Natalia Ginsburg and Helen Garner. Ciara is not looking for Children’s, YA or Fantasy. Ciara would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 -2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Ciara is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 8th May 2025
LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, MG, YA, ADULT FICTION Clare Wallace joined the Darley Anderson Agency in January 2011 and is building both the Darley Anderson Children’s Agency and the Darley Anderson Illustration Agency lists as well as taking on adult fiction for debut authors. Clare is particularly looking for funny chapter books for younger readers at the moment, as well as contemporary MG, YA fantasy, romance, and rom coms, especially with underrepresented protagonists. For picture books she has the widest taste, from daft to lyrical, rhyming to prose. As well as being busy with the children’s and illustration agencies, Clare is open to debut adult fiction submissions that could be described as book club, rom-com, romance, saga, reading group, fantasy or historical fiction. She often doesn’t know what she’s looking for until she finds it (although she is not the person for steampunk or space opera). She represents picture books, middle-grade, teenage and YA and debut adult fiction. The clients Clare represents include Perdita & Honor Cargill, Caroline Crowe, Tom Ellen, Martyn Ford, Stewart Foster, Olivia Hope, A M Howell, Polly Ho-Yen, Rachel Ip, Beth Reekles, J.P. Rose, Lindsay Galvin, Dave Rudden, Deirdre Sullivan and Efua Traoré. Whatever the age range, Clare loves a big hook, a lot of heart, and a standout voice. She loves to discover memorable new characters, bold and unique voices, strong concepts and gripping storytelling. This list gives a good indication of Clare's taste but if your submission doesn’t fit a description here, it doesn’t mean Clare doesn’t want to receive it. Clare would like you to send a covering letter, a one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5000 words) of your manuscript in a single word document. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and up to three completed texts. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Clare is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 21st April 2025
LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Thérèse is a Literary and Rights Agent at Susanna Lea Associates and Director of the London branch, @SLALondon. Born and raised in Belgium, on a diet of frites and Tintin she moved to England in her late teens with her family, then stayed in London to do a History degree and Masters at University College London. Having been brought up bilingual, translation rights seemed like her logical next step. She started off in the rights department at Bloomsbury Publishing, before hopping across the square to Ed Victor’s agency, and found experiencing both the publishing and agency side of publishing incredibly valuable. She has been building her own list of authors alongside selling translation rights since early 2016, which she has hugely enjoyed; working with authors right from the book’s conception, while also experiencing the thrill of selling her own authors’ works in the UK and US as well as in translation to publishers across the globe. In terms of adult fiction, Thérèse has a huge soft spot for historical fiction, having read Early Modern History at university, but is also very much on the hunt for crime/thrillers, bookclub, high-concept love stories and literary fiction. She loves strong female characters, in particular when they go through an evolution or journey as the story progresses and gradually find that inner strength. On the children’s fiction front, Thérèse is all about finding a fresh, new voice. She loves all things funny, fantasy and adventure – across lands, time and space, and involving strong friendships and strong lead characters - and wants to be transported straight away when reading a manuscript. She likes very vivid, well-crafted and imaginative worlds, such as stories set in a toy factory or in an underwater world. Thérèse would love some more adventures set in space, mysteries, quirky characters, explorers and imaginary friends. And last, but not least, in non-fiction, history features heavily in her interests, but Thérèse would also love to see books about big ideas, culture, sociology, science, anthropology and memoir. Anything that helps expand the mind and questions or informs the way in which we view ourselves, the world and how we fit into it, all written in an engaging and accessible manner. Thérèse would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first three chapters or 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Thérèse is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 8th May 2025
This masterclass will enable you to gain comprehensive awareness and be a supportive guide for Key Staff through fully understanding recent changes and developments in one of the fastest growing categories of safeguarding concerns.
LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOK TEXTS / ILLUSTRATIONS Lucy Brownridge is Editorial Director at Wide Eyed Editions and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, and formerly Thames & Hudson where she helped to establish the Children’s list. She has developed and edited books for children with Alan Ahlberg, Quentin Blake, Mariajo Ilustrajo, Kristjana S Williams, Bob & Roberta Smith, Yuval Zommer and Joe Coelho among others. She is the author of The Cat Family series, and many non-fiction titles for children. She is interested in the history of picture books and is always looking for innovative ways to use the book format. Her favourite books are funny, deceptively simple, thoughtfully written, distinctively illustrated and encourage a love for reading both words and pictures. Lucy would like you to submit the following depending on whether you are a picture book writer / illustrator or both. ABOUT YOU Include a covering letter, in a word document, telling Lucy about yourself and your sources of inspiration. If you have one, include a link to your website. She is keen to read stories she hasn't seen before or see artwork with a distinctive style rather than something that fits with trends. She has particular experience with picture books and illustrated narrative non-fiction. AUTHORS Please send a full manuscript (or 3), in a word document, starting with a short summary/blurb. Make the summary punchy and engaging. Remember that the best picture book stories are simple and every word should count. Do you see this book as part of a series? ILLUSTRATORS If you have a picture book idea please send a story board and a summary of the story. Please send a diverse selection of artworks from your portfolio. It is useful to see examples of the following: people of different ages and ethnicities, character studies showing a range of clothes and expressions, animals, a selection of everyday objects, wide-angle vistas, an example of a book cover (i.e. a classic book reimagined). Please send these in PDF where possible. (In addition to the paid sessions, Lucy is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 15th May 2025
Join Heidi Steel for an insightful webinar, "Embracing Autonomy: How Unschooling Supports and Empowers PDA Children," where she will delve into the world of unschooling and its profound impact on children with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). In this webinar, you will learn how unschooling can provide an ideal environment for PDA children by honouring their autonomy, interests, and individual needs. She will explore how unschooling principles can help reduce anxiety and foster a sense of empowerment in PDA children. Heidi will share practical strategies and real-life examples of how unschooling can support the unique strengths and challenges of PDA children. During the webinar, we will cover topics such as: Understanding the unique needs and characteristics of PDA children How unschooling can create a supportive environment for PDA children Implementing unschooling strategies for PDA children A recording of this webinar is included and available for two weeks after the live event. These webinars are FREE for Unschooling Village Hub Members along with a back catalogue of Unschooling Webinars, regular live coaching sessions, and discounts on coaching and mentoring services. Sign up for just £20 per month. Yes! I want to join the LPL Unschooling Village Hub
Offering the following services: Resolving conflicts with in-laws Establishing healthy boundaries in family relationships Effective communication strategies with extended family Navigating cultural differences in relationships Building understanding and harmony with in-laws Strengthening the bond with extended family Transformative therapy program for in-law issues Invest in the future of your relationship and family harmony today by addressing the issues with in-laws. Our compassionate therapists are ready to guide you towards resolution, healthier dynamics, and a more fulfilling relationship with your extended family. Take the first step towards positive change by scheduling a session with us now. 3 x 1 hour https://relationshipsmdd.com/product/issues-with-in-laws-package/
Inspiring, interactive and unique 4-hour CPD certified training on Communication and Co-production with Parents/Carers
Keeping Yourself in Mind: An ACT-informed programme for people supporting a family member with JHD We are pleased to invite you to our virtual course for parents and family carers of people living with Juvenile Huntington’s disease. The course will be run by Sarah Gunn, a clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of Leicester, and will be based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a therapeutic approach which focuses on learning to manage difficult thoughts and feelings, and to live a life which feels valuable and meaningful despite the struggles we encounter. This is an opportunity to explore the difficulties that can be associated with caring for a person with JHD (for you and within the family), to identify the values that matter most to you, and for you to think about how to move towards a more rich and valued life than you may have now. This is an eight-week course running from Wednesday 7 February to Wednesday 27 March 2024. The sessions will be on a Wednesday afternoon 1-2.30pm. Here is a very brief session outline: Week 1: Introductions: To ACT, to the programme, and to each other Week 2: Impacts of Juvenile Huntington’s on the “carer”* and wider family Week 3: Psychological wellbeing when supporting a person with Juvenile Huntington’s Week 4: Coping and adjustment: Living with, not battling against Week 5: What matters to you: Finding your values Week 6: Moving forward: Taking steps to align with your values Week 7: Living a valued life alongside Huntington’s: Plans and coping strategies Week 8: Reflection and ending: What’s next? *Note: Some people don’t like this term, so here we’re using it in quote marks. During the course, we will discuss which term would be preferred by the people attending. For more information on what information we collect and how we use it when booking onto one of our events, please see our privacy policy on our website.