Understanding and supporting children's identities
Explore how to support identity development when working with children and young people.
Identity is unique to everyone. It is layered and continually changing.
During this workshop, participants will explore how identity develops and how to support identity development when working with children and young people.
The workshop aims to support participants to think about the challenges they face in exploring and writing about children's identity in their work. Participants will have the opportunity to practice using tools that can be taken into their work with children and families.
Designed for
Family help and social care practitioners working directly with children and families.
Learning outcomes
As a result of taking part in this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain what identity is and its importance in practice.
- Give examples of ways to support identity development for children and young people, and know where to find further guidance about this.
- Understand how to consider intersectionality for children and young people.
- Reflect on the importance of recording accurate information about identity, led by the child or young person.
- Apply a toolbox of different ways to talk to children and young people about their identity.
Booking information
This is a full day interactive session delivered via Microsoft Teams and you are encouraged to contribute with the aid of break-out rooms, the chat function and large group discussions. Participants will benefit from having a quiet space to work without interruption. Slides will be sent out after the session.
Research in Practice Partners can use their membership allocation to book this workshop. Link Officers can use the booking request form to book this workshop. Please only use this form if you are authorised to choose your organisation's membership allocation.
Once your booking is received, our learning team will work with you to confirm a delivery date and provide relevant information.
The deadline for booking this year’s online workshops is 17 October 2025.
Organisations that are not Research in Practice Partners can commission this workshop individually by contacting our learning team.
Understanding, exploring and supporting children’s identity development: Practice Tool (2023)
This practice tool provides guidance about how practitioners can explore and write about identity with children and young people. It includes tips and practical tools, drawn from practice experience and research evidence.
Expressions of self: supporting minoritised children’s identity
Open access resources to support child and family social care practitioners to understand and support the identities of minoritised children and young people in care.
Using genograms in practice: Practice Tool (2024)
This practice tool supports practitioners to use genograms in their work with children and families, both as a tool for direct work and understanding of the family and to inform assessment and intervention.