I have nearly thirty years experience in social work, child protection and family placement work and I have worked as a senior manager in an independent fostering agency for a lengthy period. I have very significant former experience in the statutory sector, managing family placement services. I additionally have up to date experience working in a Local Authority Child Protection social work setting that has given me considerable insight in to the issues facing children and families and also the challenges faced by the professionals involved.

I firmly believe that every child and young person should have a good opportunity to make their way in life. Sadly, for some children, their own family circumstances have led to them being unable to be brought up within their family. I have seen children come from quite distressing circumstances and yet, through the care and dedication of foster carers, I have been privileged to see such children develop and grow in to smashing people against the odds. That is why I am involved in ensuring, with my colleagues, that we provide the best possible circumstances for AFA carers and children.

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I am a vocational social worker and social work manager, and have over thirty years experience in social work, child care and family placement work and management. I qualified in 1984 as a social worker, and have worked in both the public and independent sectors in a number of different positions since. I have also gained additional qualifications along the way, in both social work specialism and management. I have worked previously as a Regional Director and Registered Manager in the independent sector having developed and managed a significant foster care service for a large service provider. I also have recent and 'up to date' experience working in the statutory child care social work sector in a busy urban authority, and this has enabled me to maintain a full understanding of the issues facing social workers, children and families today.

I am committed to and passionate about the care of young people, and have always worked to the best of my ability to ensure that stability, high standards of care and the provision of genuine opportunity are central to the services I have been responsible for.

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I have been a social worker since 1976. I have worked in a variety of settings including children’s homes, schools, and childcare social work teams and since 1993 for fostering services in both the public and the private sector. As a qualified social worker and manager I managed fostering teams for Norfolk County Council before working as a Regional Director for a major independent fostering agency. In 2009 I left to set up AFA with colleagues Mike Jones Todd and Graeme Duncombe.

The AFA mission of Quality Placements with Integrity and Respect underpins my approach to supporting foster carers and providing homes for vulnerable young people. The relationships we build with our carers and the trust that develops between us is the key to successful working.

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