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	Social Care Ireland&rsquo;s 2015 annual conference took place in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sligo last week, with the theme of this year&rsquo;s conference being &ldquo;Building Relationships and Breaking Barriers&rdquo;. The conference took place on the 24<sup>th</sup>, 25<sup>th</sup> and 26<sup>th</sup> March 2015 and organisers have called it a huge success, with 180 delegate packs being handed out.</p>
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	The conference was formally opened on Tuesday evening by Minister Kathleen Lynch, followed by addresses from keynote speakers Father Peter McVerry of the Peter McVerry Trust and Gordon Jeyes of Tusla. No doubt relationships were built and barriers were broken during the evening&rsquo;s entertainment when delegates and organisers alike relaxed, networked and got to know each other.</p>
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	The President of Social Care Ireland Carlos Kelly addressed the enthusiastic delegates on the Wednesday morning, followed by Social Care Ireland&rsquo;s CPD officer Catherine Byrne and Dr Pamela Trevithick of Buckinghamshire New University in the UK. Delegates were then free to attend one of the numerous workshops scheduled.</p>
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	Vivian Geurin of the Probation Service, Meitheal Coordinator Marie Crawley, Dr. Sinead Reynolds, of the Assessment Consultation and Therapy Service (ACTS), spoke to a large crowd of eager social care workers and students on Wednesday and Thursday and delegates were once again choosing which workshop they would attend throughout the day. The conference closed and delegates left, presumably looking forward to next year&rsquo;s event. A wine reception and a gala dinner accompanied the launch of the organisation&rsquo;s CPD portfolio.</p>
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	Over the course of the three days, there were twelve workshops covering a variety of issues scheduled with an impressive forty one speakers, not including the seven keynote speakers. With the launch of the CPD portfolio and the three organisations within SCI endorsing the decision to amalgamate, the future of SCI is very bright indeed. Watch this space.</p>
