Karen

Karen is a qualified social worker and brings vast social services experience to our team. She has led many joint investigations into child abuse allegations.

Karen is currently service manager for Southampton City Children services department. She manages teams working in the following areas:

• Reception and Assessment Team
• Child In Need
• Court and Protection Team
• Children in Care Team
• Parenting Team
• Contact Team
• Independent Reviewing Service Hampshire

Her experience includes, but is not limited to:

• Service Manager of the Independent Reviewing Service (IRS) – Karen has significant experience as a Lead IRO, a manager of IRO’s and Child Protection Chairs. She has embedded a strength based approach within the service by revising CLA minutes, Child Protection Plans, the problem resolution process and put in new processes to demonstrate the IRO footprint ensuring best outcomes for children. She advises and assists in responding to safeguarding concerns, complaints and support in developing and delivering safeguarding training to partner agencies.

• Audit and Quality Assurance – Karen holds responsibility for the quality assurance arrangements, audit and reporting and responding to the learning gained from audits undertaken both in Children who are looked after and within Child Protection Conferences. She currently monitors new procedures of quality assuring child protection plans and care plans to prevent drift as well as demonstrating the CP Chair and IRO footprint.

• Reg 44’s – Karen is experienced in conducting Reg 44’s in children’s homes and has contributed to improvement plans when required.

• Projects – As a manger Karen is involved in a number of projects including developing new services, practice and procedures, restructures and improvement plans following audit findings and/or inspection feedback, more recently imbedding the strength-based approach into the Independent Reviewing Service. Inputting into the Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership in training and supporting by updating policies and procedures.

• Training/Presenting – Karen is a skilled trainer, and has trained staff across Hampshire regarding Reg 15 reviews, Care planning, Safeguarding and more recently delivering strength based practice to front line managers. She is skilled in presenting audit reports to Children and Families Senior managers, elected members and the Parenting Board.