Introducing the new Head of the Disabled Children's Team

1.      What is your role?

I am the new Head of Service for the Disabled Children’s Team at Shire Hall in Gloucester, replacing Naomi Adams who has been promoted to Assistant Director, North for Safeguarding and Care.

2.      What area of work is covered by your role ?

The Disabled Children’s Team offers support, advice and guidance to families who may need our help. We also offer help via direct payments and short breaks to children and their families to enable them to live within their families and access the same opportunities as their peers who may not have a disability.

As part of our statutory responsibilities, as with other Children's Services teams, we also support children where, alongside their disability, there are child protection concerns, or they are children who are cared for by the Local Authority.

We have a focus on working with children creatively and often must think about how best to communicate with them, as some children may not be able to tell us how they feel or what is happening. 

We have support from the commissioning service, who help find packages of support for our disabled children.

We also have our own short break overnight provision for disabled children called Hartwood House.

3.      How did you get into your role?

I decided to enter social work following a rewarding year as a young volunteer in the Care in the Community scheme in the 1990s.  I supported two men, Ken and John, helping them to live the best life they could.  Being part of their lives and witnessing the challenges, as well as enjoying visits to the theatre and pub and even a trip to Benidorm with them, helped me understand that synchronised care, linking services, is vital to delivering the best value to the lives of disabled people. 

My career has given me an insight into the statutory and voluntary sectors within social care, including how the different skills and knowledge of each of those sectors are valuable to the other.  I have worked in both England and Wales; with third sector provider Barnardo’s, and in local authorities in both operational and strategic roles.

I understand the challenges for carers, as a user of services as well as a professional and see that sometimes our system does not best support disabled people or their families.  I am keen to see how the current government reform agenda will assist us in bringing forward improvements for all involved in health and social care.

4.      What do you enjoy when you are not working?

I love to swim and spend time with family and friends.

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