STEPPING IN TO STEP BACK

Endings and Transitions

How does practice hold clear purpose for everything being done, stepping in and out flexibly with the right support at the right time but always with the goal of children and families flourishing without the need for professional involvement? How does practice avoid children and families being overwhelmed or under supported, and endings being experienced as cliff-edges rather than supported transitions with relational continuity?

Helen is a qualified Social Worker and holds a combined Degree (BA Hons) and CQSW. On qualifying, she worked for Leicestershire County Council where she undertook a range of social work and managerial roles before moving to similar positions in London Boroughs. Helen joined Essex County Council in July 2011 and is currently the Executive Director Children Families & Education.
During her London years, she chaired and authored much of the pan London Child Protection Procedures. She co-authored “Ten pitfalls in assessment and how to avoid them” and has co-authoring an article “Practice needs to be braver, Child Protection and the paradigm of risk”.
Helen is an active member of the ADCS, being on the Council of Reference, and the ADCS representative on UASC and Family Justice Reform Implementation groups. As well as Chair of ADCS Families, Communities and Young People Committee. Regionally, Helen is the Chair of East Region Sector Led Improvement Group.
Essex Children & Families is Ofsted graded overall Outstanding from its ILACS inspection in 2018 and 2023. Helen has been a strong supporter of sector-led improvement, as such, she is a lead contractor with the DfE for improving children’s services as Intervention Advisers, and as a Partner in Practice, to other LA’s, graded Inadequate and Requires Improvement, by Ofsted, respectively. Helen was the Children’s Commissioner for Blackpool. Helen is the CLT sponsor for the Women’s Network at Essex County Council.

Jenny Fogarty is Director of Initial Teacher Training at Anglia Ruskin University and is responsible for establishing ARU’s course portfolio to award Qualified Teacher Status from 2024. An experienced teacher, school leader and teacher educator Jenny has taught in a range of formal and informal contexts using her extensive expertise in teacher training and academic development to empowering students and colleagues to create high quality learning environments. She is passionate about using education as a tool for personal and societal transformation.

Kay Davidson is the Head of Barton Moss Secure Care Centre, where boys aged 12 to 18 can be remanded or serve sentences imposed by the criminal courts. Kay qualified as a social worker in 1991 and began her career as a probation officer before becoming a placement tutor on the Social Work course at Salford University. In 2005, she joined Salford Youth Justice Service as an operational manager, eventually becoming Head of Service. During this time, she also led the Complex Safeguarding Team (Connect) and served as Children’s Services lead for Threats to Life arrangements.
In 2021, Kay became Head of Centre and Registered Manager at Barton Moss. She remains passionate, optimistic, and deeply committed to ensuring the services she leads deliver positive outcomes for children, young people, their families, and their communities.