I am a registered social worker with a career spanning over 35 years across children’s and adults voluntary and statutory systems.
My direct experience includes children and young people’s mental health, young carers, child protection, residential social work, field work, multi-disciplinary team working and whole family approaches.
Working in the field of community and strategic development, service/quality improvement and workforce development with the golden thread of Children’s Rights and Participation running throughout.
I am grounded in the direct experiences of children and young people and ensuring their ‘lived experience’ influences strategic change across national and local systems and across adult and children’s services.
Throughout this time I gained substantial experience of designing, delivering and evaluating voice, influence and participation activities with children, young people and parent/carers. I have proven experience of co-developing, co-delivering and evaluating training, learning and development opportunities, including LSCP, Early Help and Young Carers. More recently I have been working to further embed participation across the Children and Youth People’s Mental Health workforce curriculum ( CYP IAPT) and ensuring the work is aligned to the current national participation models and best practice.
I remain as passionate as ever to bring about better outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and families with their authentic participation firmly at the centre!
