Sussex Social Change Hub

The Sussex Social Change Hub is a collective of academic experts from the Faculty of Social Sciences. We鈥檙e dedicated to strengthening relationships with organisations, governments, schools and charities through consultancy, training and tailored services.

Our mission

The Sussex Social Change Hub aims to advance social justice and equity by providing rigorous, ethical academic insights in education and social work.

We want to create a world where academic research continuously informs best practice, allowing organisations to more easily access high-level expertise. Integrity, ethics, kindness and authenticity are at the core of our interventions.

Read about the world-leading research taking place in the School of Education and Social Work.

CPD programme

Every year we design a unique programme of short CPD courses. These non-accredited workshops are open to all professionals who find them relevant to their practice. All participants will receive a certificate of attendance on completion of the course.

Session are booked through our online shop with links under each session's description. For group bookings please contact us at socialchangehub@sussex.ac.uk.

See also CPD Terms & Conditions 2024 [PDF 58.22KB].

Courses

See details below of the CPD sessions for which places are still available in 2026:

  • Effective Social Work Supervision: A psychosocial approach to 121 supervision

    12 hours across 6 weeks, January-February 2026

    Workshop Dates: 8 January, 22 January and 12 February

    Workshop Times: 10am-1pm

    Drop-in Dates: 15 January, 29 January and 19 February

    Drop-in Times: 10-11am

    Fee: £200 per person

    Delivery: Online via MS Teams

    Targeted at: Social work supervisors of all levels

    Delivered by:

    This training presents a psychosocial model of 121 social work supervision. This approach draws on systemic and psychoanalytic ideas to explore and interrupt the anxiety in social work practice, supporting supervisors and their supervisees to work with complexity, and effectively analyse and respond to risk and need. The model presents supervision as a forum for learning for social workers, which develops their practice and resilience. Initially the bedrock of psychosocial theory will be explored. Subsequently supervisors will be equipped with a number of ideas and tools to use in supervision in order to apply this theory in practice. In order to embed the training, attendees are provided with the opportunity to explore their own development as supervisors through a number of additional drop-in sessions, both during and after the training. It is important that attendees attend all three of the training days and as many of the drop-in sessions as required in order to maximise the benefits of the training.

  • Adolescents and Neuroscience: What you need to know about the adolescent brain

    Tuesday 17 March 2026 / 10am-1pm / via Teams

    Fee: £50 per person

    Delivery: Online via MS Teams

    Targeted at: Social workers and helping professionals working with young people

    Delivered by: &

    This 3-hour workshop gives participants the opportunity to learn about the most recent developments in neuroscience related to the developing adolescent brain and how this knowledge can equip professionals to work more effectively with young people facing a range of risks and harm.

    It will be structured as a question and answer forum at which Kristine and Liat will bring together key contemporary issues in adolescent safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, and neuroscience. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and apply learning, whilst reflecting on their own practice throughout the session. 

  • Fragile Educational Trajectories: Understanding challenges and opportunities for intervention

    Tuesday 23 June 2026 / 10am-1pm / In person

    Fee: £50 per person

    Delivery: In person on the 亚洲情色 campus

    Targeted at: Staff working in educational settings across the full age range & staff working in roles requiring knowledge of how to support educational progress and outcomes, including Virtual School staff, social workers and those working within voluntary sector organisations.

    Delivered by:

    Participants will explore the concept of a fragile educational trajectory as a way of thinking more holistically about the association between poorer educational outcomes and social disadvantage. The session will begin by considering which groups of children and young people are most at risk of following this trajectory. You will then explore the challenges they encounter within education systems, including the accumulated effects of such things as low literacy levels and involvement in school exclusion processes. The session will end with a focus on how working with an understanding of these more fragile educational trajectories might aid understanding of opportunities for intervention and support, including over key transition points.  

Details of more courses/workshops taking place beyond the end of the current academic year to follow shortly.

Collaborate with us

Our academic experts work in a wide range of services with our diverse partners across the world.

We offer the following tailored opportunities:

  • evaluations of policies, procedures and structures
  • expert opinion and advice
  • help with developing programs and products
  • bespoke training
  • regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses.

Contact socialchangehub@sussex.ac.uk to find out how we can help you.

Making Teaching of Reading Inclusive – a Sussex Social Change Hub case study

Jo Tregenza

, a Reader in Primary Education and President of the , developed an inclusive approach to the teaching of reading for students with physical and learning disabilities at our partner institution, Treloar. The team approached Jo to help consider how the school's vision could be further developed through the teaching of reading. The ensuing project aimed to collaborate with staff, enhancing their understanding of research and pedagogy related to reading. The focus was on key concepts such as decoding, comprehension, and reading for pleasure, viewed through the lens of current research.

The goal was to utilize this understanding to work with staff in developing a pedagogical approach that could enhance the cross-curricular and integrated program of speaking and listening, reading, and writing. The framework developed with Jo has helped students demonstrate higher levels of enjoyment of literacy. Jo's work significantly contributed to the for Developing an Innovative English Curriculum.

Contact

If you have any queries, email socialchangehub@sussex.ac.uk.