Experience

Scottish Adoption

• United Kingdom
• Individual and Family Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Mar 2022 - Present



Barnardo's

• Edinburgh, Scotland

• Assistant Head of Business Family Placement Scotland

  • Aug 2017 - Mar 2022

  Working with a great team to provide excellent fostering and adoption services to children and young people. Working with a great team to provide excellent fostering and adoption services to children and young people.



Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland

• Strathclyde University, Glasgow

• Permanence Consultant

  • Mar 2016 - Jul 2017

  Implement the award winning Permanence and Care Excellence Programme driving system and culture change across all partners involved in support and decision making for looked after children and young people. Operating within a legal framework in a heavily regulated and inspected sector. Working with partners and stakeholders to help them better fulfil their responsibilities in relation to legislation, national guidance, research and local best practice agenda preventing the avoidable harm caused to children by drift and delay in making decisions for permanence.



Self Employed

• Across Scotland

• Independent Social Worker

  • Sep 2015 - Feb 2016

  I am a qualified social worker with a professional background in children and families’ services and have worked in Local Authorities and the third sector. I aim to be available to meet the needs of relevant organisations on a freelance consultancy basis. I am also happy to consider interim agency roles. I am a qualified social worker with a professional background in children and families’ services and have worked in Local Authorities and the third sector. I aim to be available to meet the needs of relevant organisations on a freelance consultancy basis. I am also happy to consider interim agency roles.



British Association for Adoption & Fostering

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director Child Placement

  • Jun 2014 - Jul 2015

  Responsible for the delivery of BAAF Child Placement services in England. Providing support and leadership to relevant Managers in line with the needs of waiting children, the sector and BAAF, in compliance with relevant HR policies and procedures. Ensured BAAF’s services remained at the forefront of childcare policy and practice, were of the highest standard, and placed the safety and well-being of children at the centre. Worked with a range of stakeholders to develop new services. Wrote tenders for funding which met the needs of stakeholders and incorporated robust reporting on outcomes and impact, evidencing the achievement of Key Performance Indicators, which were triangulated with qualitative enquiries. Led on a number of key contracts, ensuring compliance with the terms of those contracts and all relevant regulations and legislation. Reviewed and assessed project plans, ensuring expected outcomes and timescales were met. Oversaw the on-going governance of projects. Negotiated and managed complex and sensitive commercial contracts with suppliers. Managed internal and external IT consultants to develop a new application for the Adoption Register in England, ensuring compliance with all IT security requirements and data protection legislation. Registered Ofsted Manager for BAAF as a voluntary adoption agency and adoption support agency. External communications, including radio, television, digital and written media work delivering information and key messages about adoption. Quality assuring all BAAF blogs. Promoted the work of BAAF to a range of stakeholders, participated in network meetings, giving presentations and responding to requests for information. Campaigned regarding Government consultations contributing formally and informally to requests for information and views. Responsible for setting and monitoring budget of around £1.5m. Budgets were complex, with funding streams from income generation, Government grants and trust funds.



BAAF

• Edunburgh

• Interim Director Child Placement

  • Jun 2014 - Aug 2014



BAAF (Scotland)

• Project Leader for Scotland's Adoption Register

  • Aug 2011 - Jun 2014



The City of Edinburgh Council

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Independent Reviewing Officer

  • May 2011 - Aug 2011



Midlothian Council

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Practice Manager

  • May 2009 - May 2011