Issue five – Spring 2026

Welcome to our newsletter, which is aimed at everyone who has been on Next Step Cards training.
If there is anything you would like to see included in the newsletter, of if you have any queries at all,
please just let Jenny know by emailing: cwp.nextstepcards@nhs.net.

 What's new?

In response to your feedback, we’re enhancing the resources section of our website. The updated area now includes three sections:

1. Downloadable PDFs

Practical, ready-to-use handouts, guides and record sheets to support your work with the Next Step Cards in sessions.

2. Training videos

Short demonstrations offering ideas for using the cards with different age groups.

3. The brand new Next Step Cards toolbox

The Toolbox is in development and includes practical, psychologically informed activities for each of the 18 Step Cards. These are designed to support your work with young people and adults when setting goals and working towards change.

The Step Cards support reflection and insight, helping individuals recognise the practical, emotional and cognitive steps needed to progress between their chosen levels. The first Toolbox activities include:

More activities will be added regularly, informed by practitioner experience and feedback.

April Reflective Space

Our last January Reflective Space brought together practitioners from education, health and social care to share their experiences of using Next Step Cards in practice.

• Practical examples were shared to support improving wellbeing.
• Creative and flexible approaches were explored, with a strong focus on child-led, achievable goal setting.
• Honest reflection on challenges highlighted how confidence develops through practice, curiosity and responsiveness.
• The session strengthened peer connections and a shared commitment to ongoing learning and resource development.

Our next Reflective Space is due to be held on Monday 20 April from 3.30pm until 4.30pm. Book a place by completing the Microsoft Form. 

Save the date - Friday 5 June

Save the date for a Reflective Practice opportunity on Goal Based Outcomes.

In addition to our usual offer, we will be offering a 90-minute online Reflective Practice session focusing on Goal Based Outcomes (GBOs). This session will be taking place from 1.30pm until 3pm on Friday 5 June.

Facilitated by Professor Duncan Law, (who you may remember from our Better Practice Event) the session will blend training with reflective practice, with the focus agreed collaboratively to reflect participants’ real-world contexts.

The GBO approach offers a simple and effective way to support collaborative goal-setting and track progress towards outcomes that matter most to the individual. This session will provide:

• A blend of learning and reflection
• Space to explore goal-based work in practice
• Shared discussion informed by participant experience

Please show any expressions of interest by completing this form.

Express your interest for this session.

Exploring the videos in the resources section of our website

Visit the ‘videos’ section to see the Next Step Cards in action across different age groups.

The series includes 8-year-old Holly engaging with the Life Cards through a playful session that begins with a game and moves into a traffic light activity; 11-year-old James working through the Life Cards, Levels, Planning and Review process; and training videos featuring older teenager Alisha.

These real-life examples provide practical insight into how children and young people meaningfully engage with the Cards in developmentally appropriate ways.

Next Step refresher training sessions

We know that some practitioners were hoping for a quick refresher session. We have explored it, but with the original training running just over three hours, a shorter course would end up leaving too much valuable information out. As an alternative, we’re providing the following offer.

If you’d like to revisit the full experience, we’re offering half-price places (£75) for previously trained practitioners on any of the upcoming training dates. Please email cwp.nextstepcards@nhs.net for further details. As an alternative you can, of course, attend one of our Reflective Spaces (see above article).