Social workers can get their burning questions on policy and practice answered at the first of this year’s Community Care Live conferences, which takes place in Birmingham on 12 and 13 May.

Meet the Question Time panellists Gary Fitzgerald

Chief executive of Action on Elder Abuse Sue Howard

Interim deputy chief inspector for adult social care, Care Quality Commission Debbie Jones

National director for social care, Ofsted Ray Jones

Professor of social work, Kingston University Ruth Smith

Content director, Community Care Gary Vaux

Head of money advice unit, health and community services, Hertfordshire County Council

The Question Time session features a panel of social care leaders with expertise in adult safeguarding, children’s social work, finance, service regulation and the media.

It will run from 4 to 5.30pm on Tuesday 12 May and we’re asking practitioners to submit their questions to us by 30 April for consideration.

If you don’t like putting your hand up in a session or can’t make the conference, then this is an ideal opportunity to get your social care questions answered.

Questions should be no longer than 150 words and can be submitted here. The session will be hosted by BBC Radio Four presenter,Anita Anand.

What else is on?

In 2015, Community Care is running two Live events that cover the latest developments in both adults and children and families social work.

The first will be held on 12 and 13 May at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham and features 42 sessions on the sector’s biggest challenges.

More than 60 sector experts will give talks on topics like child sexual exploitation, the Care Act and health and social care integration, and 14 councils will share examples of best practice.

There will also be in-depth masterclasses to help practitioners get to grips with issues such as writing effective Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications to the Court of Protection.

New for this year is the Community Care Interactive area, which includes four exciting zones to help enhance your knowledge and skills and provide networking opportunities.

View the full programme of events.

The event is free for all social work professionals registered with the HCPC or equivalent UK registration body. Free entry is also available to local authority commissioners, procurement officers, workforce and development leads, youth offending teams, probation officers and police officers.

Please note all other job titles and areas of work will be charged at the congress delegate day rate of £199 plus VAT in advance and £249 plus VAT on the day. If you have any questions please contact the team on events.registration@rbi.co.uk

The second Community Care Live event will take place in London in November.