I am an Independent Specialist Social Worker (Diploma in Social Work - 2003). Currently my work includes working within specialist and mainstream schools in Northampton and St. Neots working with children diagnosed with Autism, Asperger’s, ADHD, Acquired Brain Injury and other young people with a variety of challenging behaviours. Other work includes providing therapeutic assessments and interventions for young people who are currently placed into the care of Discovered Care and Education. Other work includes PAMS 4.0 parenting assessments and interventions, Family work, AIM2 Assessments and Interventions.

My career development choices to date include being part of the Oracle Care and Education - Clinical Team to provide assessments and plans of therapeutic intervention work for young people in their care. I worked as a Senior Practitioner for Barnardo’s - Chilston Service (November 2011 – Feb 2015). I was responsible for a specialist resource working with children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviours and who were also survivors of abuse and trauma, this service provided other services relating to sexual risk and working with families who were affected by sexual harmful behaviours.

During my career I have developed my assessment and therapeutic intervention skills with children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviours. My original specialist training was provided by G-Map in their AIM/AIM2 model of assessment of need and risk. This was enhanced by undertaking further assessment training with children and family assessments and interventions. In the last 10 years I have received further specialist training and supervision from G-Map, Ray Wyre Associates, CEOP, Lucy Faithful Foundation, NOTA, NSPCC and Barnardo’s.

I am registered with NWG (National Working Group) developing work for children and young people who are victim to Child Sexual Exploitation. I am also a member of TAG (Trauma Abuse Group), TAG promotes education and raises awareness in the fields of attachment, dissociation, trauma and abuse recovery. I have also completed training with the Refugee Council and have undertaken age assessments (Merton Compliant) with adolescent asylum seekers.

Historically Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) employed me for 23 years as a Principal Social Worker. Whilst employed by them I was able to develop a service between NCC Children’s services and Youth Offending Services that provided Assessments of Need and Risk for young people that were displaying or that were convicted of harmful sexual behaviours. From these assessments, I was able to identify and deliver appropriate therapeutic interventions that were suited to the individual young person. This work included providing Assessment of Need and Risk and identified therapeutic interventions to assist the Youth, Family, Magistrates, Crown Courts and Youth Offending Services. Between 2003 -2011, the service evolved to provide assessments of need and risk, and interventions with children, young people and adults who pose a risk of sexual abuse. In addition, the service provided a support to children and young people who were survivors of sexual abuse. I began working with young people in 1976 on a voluntary basis this work included working with young people with physical disabilities, youth club and uniformed organisations I continued in my voluntary work until 1998.

My professional career in social work began as a residential social worker in 1991, working with young people who were placed into the care of the local authority for their challenging behaviours or that were convicted of various crimes. My work was based in a community setting providing young people with residential care, educational and leisure facilities. During this time, I gained the Diploma in Social Care and worked within various residential settings including open, community and secure establishments for young people. My career developed through promotion to Team Leader/Deputy Manager in all of the above settings.

Before being self-employed as a PAMS 4.0 Family Assessment worker, I have worked as a Court Manager and Advocate for elderly people living in sheltered accommodation.

I have managed my own business providing residential living for adults with Challenging Behaviours, Complex Needs and Learning Difficulties; this role also involved working with Local and National Government Appointed Inspection and Safeguarding Agencies.

I have extensive experience in working with children and young people whom have learning difficulties, and/or that are diagnosed to be on the Autistic Spectrum, Prader-Willi Syndrome.

I have worked with young people who display a variety of challenging and offending behaviours, some of which have been the result of being a victim to and experiencing several forms of abuse and neglect.


In all of my professional roles, I have undertaken a variety of in-house training courses including:

• Safeguarding Adults
• Safeguarding Children
• First Aid
• Sexuality and Relationships
• Substance misuse
• Managing Violence and Aggression