Childhood Practice 3rd Annual Conference
Leadership and Wellbeing in Challenging Times
In times of uncertainty and change, strong, compassionate leadership in childhood practice is more vital than ever. University of Glasgow’s ‘Leadership and Wellbeing in Challenging Times’ is a conference designed specifically for students, alumni and partners in Childhood Practice, offering an inspiring space to explore what it means to lead with integrity, resilience, and care.
Grounded in research-informed practice, this event brings together current and emerging leaders to reflect on the pivotal role of wellbeing – for children, families and staff teams - across diverse childcare settings. Through keynotes, workshops, and lightning talks, the conference will highlight the importance of reflective practice, peer learning, and the transformative power of mentoring in developing leadership capacity.
Join us as we explore innovative practices, examine the intersection of leadership and wellbeing, and forge connections with fellow students, educators, and policymakers.
Keynote Bio:
Peeple
Peeple is a national charity that supports parents and young children to learn together, strengthening child development by building on everyday learning opportunities.
Programme of the day:
9.30 Welcome from the Childhood Practice Team & School leadership team
9.45 Keynote from Peeple (Peeple - charity supporting parents with children’s learning)
10.25 Breakout session 1
11.15 Coffee break and networking
11.30 Breakout session 2
12.15 Care Inspectorate – Paul Johnstone
12.35 Student lightning talks
13.00 Close
Coffee break: Poster presentations, networking opportunities and creative activities.
During the break you’ll have the opportunity to engage with activities from our new reflective toolkit (McQuade and Black, online – forthcoming). Through a series of creative activities, you’ll be prompted to reflect on your learning experiences from a range of perspectives, offering fresh insights and supporting you to plan your next professional goals.
Lightning talks:
Leading, studying and being well – insights from our Masters graduates.
You’ll hear about:
- Gendered play in early years outdoor provision (Jade Hendry)
- Parent’s perceptions of early years qualifications and experiences (Clare Armstrong)
Workshops
You will be able to attend 2 of the following workshops themed around practical strategies to support your wellbeing as a leader
Read to lead
It's the common habit shared by many successful people throughout history. It's responsible for unlocking limitless creativity and influence. It's known to reduce stress, improve decision-making skills, and make you a better leader. What is it? Reading. And it's the single best thing you can do to improve yourself professionally (Brown & Wesnewski, 2021). (Facilitated by Tracey Stewart)
Space to talk
Responding to feedback from last year’s conference, this workshop creates a space for conference attendees to have an open-ended discussion on a range of topics related to the conference theme. The session will be facilitated by experienced leaders from across the childhood practice sector. (Facilitated by Irene Pollock)
Time to listen
Building Capacity, connection through mentoring. Mentoring plays a powerful role in professional growth, supporting not only skill development but also confidence and a sense of belonging. This session explores the value of mentoring across roles and career stages, highlighting its potential for impact on leadership development, and staff retention and will feature input from participants from the recent UofG/GCC early years head mentoring programme. This session is for those interested in both sides of the mentoring relationship. (Facilitated by Eileen Pollock and Angela McConalogue, Glasgow City Council)