Love and Power Conference
- Ages 18+
Join us for a thoughtful day exploring the power of relationships in driving real change at SHiFT's Love and Power Conference.
Date and time
Location
St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, London
Trafalgar Square London WC2N 4JJ United KingdomRefund Policy
Agenda
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Arrivals and Light Refreshments Together
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Welcome
9:45 AM - 10:30 AM
Hilary Cottam in conversation with Josh MacAlister OBE MP
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Reflections and Questions
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Tea Break Together
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Workshop A: Doing right by the child: self, ego, and whose needs in practice
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Workshop B: Staying in the complexity: navigating boundaries and risk
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch Together
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Workshop A: Stepping in to step back: endings and transitions
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Workshop B: Going for Gold: Weaving Networks of Hope to Influence Systems
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Tea Break Together
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Concluding Panel Discussion: So What?
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Thank You and Closing Remarks
About this event
- Event lasts 7 hours
- Ages 18+
- No venue parking
The ‘How’ of Relationship-Centred Practice
A Multi-Agency Conversation About What It Means to Navigate Love and Power in Practice with Children and Young People
Across disciplines, there is a shared understanding that meaningful relationships between practitioners, children and young people, and the services that support them are the key to enabling growth and change. Whether in education, social care, or youth justice, the most effective practitioners work with and alongside young people rather than acting upon them. These relationships are built on trust, high support, and high challenge - balancing unconditional positive regard with clear boundaries and enforced expectations.
As Martin Luther King Jr. articulated, “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice.”
Yet, embedding relationship-centred practice within public systems presents structural and cultural challenges. Practitioners must navigate a landscape that often prioritises individual case management over relational change, risk mitigation over safety creation, and system preservation over child-centred justice. These tensions are particularly stark in moments of crisis, when professionals are required to hold both support and enforcement roles simultaneously. Additionally, institutional and structural discrimination—particularly racism—continues to shape and constrain the very systems meant to safeguard children.
This conference is a chance to explore and wrestle with the dynamics of love and power in relational practice, examining how practitioners mobilise relationships in ways that challenge systemic barriers. Drawing on recent research and frontline experience, we will discuss how policy and organisational contexts must evolve to better enable relationship-centred approaches, ensuring that practitioners are supported in their role as agents of both care and accountability.
As a charity, we have decided to charge a small ticket fee to help cover the costs of hosting this event. However, we want to ensure that cost is not a barrier to attendance. If the price is a challenge for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@shift.co.uk—we’d love to find a way to make it possible for you to join us.
Frequently asked questions
The Love and Power Conference is a one-day event exploring how meaningful relationships drive change in youth justice, education, social care, and community practice.
This event is designed for educators, social workers, youth justice officers, policymakers, community leaders, researchers, and anyone passionate about relationship-centred practice and systems change.
The event runs from 9:00 to16:00, featuring keynote talks, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking sessions. A detailed agenda will be shared with attendees closer to the event, and it can also be found on the event listing on Eventbrite.
Yes! Tea, coffee, light refreshments and lunch will be provided. Please indicate any dietary requirements when registering.
The event is in-person only. However, key moments may be recorded and shared post-event.
For any inquiries, email us at info@shiftuk.org and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.