This month was a major milestone for Red Harbour as we held the "Power of Positive Relationships" conference, our first in-person event for two years and one that had been a particular labour of love for me personally.
Originally scheduled for March 2020 and postponed twice due to Covid, expectations were high and it did not disappoint.
Bringing together an inspiring line up of speakers brought energy and enthusiasm to a topic that is increasingly vital in our schools and community settings.
We shared best practice and heard from policy makers on how we can create safe environments for a young person. Relationships are a fundamental starting point for a child and we simply have to get this right to give every child equal opportunities to realise their potential. Without providing those connections, children can be at risk of being marginalised, labelled or excluded with significant long-term effects on them as they develop.
We heard from professionals in policy, attachment, education and human rights. However, a special thank you to the young person who joined us, demonstrating immense bravery in sharing her story with a room of strangers and in doing so, brought to life the importance of positive relationships and the impact they had on helping her to change the course of her life journey.
Thank you to all our speakers who shared not only their experience but their passion for the subject and the young people they support.
Nick Hobbs, Head of Advice and Investigations who stepped in perfectly for Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland who unfortunatley had COVID
Robin Macpherson, Head of College, Robert Gordon’s College
Jennifer Knussen, Head Teacher, Pitteuchar East Primary School
Alison MacDonald, Chair, Scottish Attachment in Action Education Group
Maureen McAteer, Assistant Director, Barnardo’s Scotland
Charlene Tait, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, ScottishAutism
Eileen Prior, Executive Director, Connect (formerly ScottishParent Teacher Council)
Patricia Santelices, Lead Officer, Health and Wellbeing, Cityof Edinburgh Council
John McDermott, Counselling Psychologist, Studio III
and our Chair: Elly Chapple, Founder of #flipthenarrative and CanDoELLA