News, events and a few carefully chosen glimpses of what ELM Editions is developing.

Manchester Social Work Show · 28 September 2026

Emma Mitchell presented The Child the System Only Sees in Pieces at the Manchester Social Work Show, alongside SENsational Growth. Drawing on lived experience as a child, care worker and parent, the session explored how we can understand a child’s whole life when different services hold different pieces of the picture. Emma also demonstrated ELM 24.

Thank you to everyone who joined the session, spoke with us and shared their experiences. These conversations will help shape the next stages of the work.

Working with SENsational Growth

ELM Editions is working with SENsational Growth Ltd to bring lived experience and professional insight together in support of families and practitioners. Organisations can now enquire about training, workshops and using the ELM framework resource pack within their setting.

Explore training and framework resource-pack enquiries

Alliance 4 Children

Emma is an FA4C Fellow with Alliance 4 Children. This connection reflects a shared interest in listening to families and keeping children’s wellbeing at the centre of decisions.

Introducing ELM 24

ELM 24 is a proposed digital platform designed to bring the child’s voice, family observations and professional contributions into a continuous support record across home, education and relevant services, with access controlled by role and permissions.

The intention is for the record to continue when a service ends its involvement or a child moves school or area. Newly authorised professionals could access relevant history under agreed permissions, helping families avoid repeatedly starting again. Connections with organisations’ existing systems are planned, subject to technical development and lawful information-sharing arrangements.

Current stage: a working demonstrator using fictional examples. A secure operational product and integrations still need to be developed. We are exploring development funding and a controlled, evaluated pilot; no pilot has yet been agreed. ELM 24 has not been independently evaluated and does not replace safeguarding procedures.

Watch the two short previews below for a glimpse of the concept. We welcome conversations with education settings, community organisations, development partners and potential funders about shaping and evaluating a carefully planned pilot.

Contact Emma about ELM 24, a pilot or a speaking opportunity

A letter of support

After meeting Emma and seeing part of the ELM Hub, Andrew Griffith MP wrote on 18 September 2026 that he would introduce the work to primary schools in his constituency to explore a possible pilot. This is an encouraging next step; no pilot has been agreed yet.

The image has been prepared for publication with Emma’s postal address and the correspondence reference removed for privacy.