Ben Gladstone

Colin is an experienced former director of children’s services (DCS) and qualified social worker with a special interest in children’s social care and safeguarding. He has an excellent grasp of the broader children’s agenda.

Dr Tom Jefford is a qualified social worker with a history of managing youth offending services and evidence based interventions such as Multi Systemic Therapy and Functional Family Therapy. Tom’s interests include implementation science and children’s services. Tom has experience of providing services within social outcome contracts.

Donna is an interdisciplinary researcher with nearly 20 years of experience in both public and private sector settings. Donna’s work has informed policy and practice change at the local, regional and national level. She holds a PhD and has global research experience in three different continents.

Mick is an experienced and effective consultant who has been a senior manager in various roles across the sector. He is a qualified social worker who has worked for local authorities and the NHS and he was the professional social care advisor for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Mick is a Visiting Knowledge Transfer Fellow with the University.

Tutu is a business strategist and leadership coach. She has over 20 years of strategic leadership and management experience including working with public sector procurers and commissioners to support equitable approaches to commissioning small and minoritised enterprises.

Simon is a qualified teacher and has experience working in education and social care for the last 18 years.

Paul’s particular strengths lie in strategy development, service review and improvement, value chain design, partnership development and outcomes-based contracting. He has over 30 years’ experience across a range of sectors to improve outcomes, manage commercial risks, and reduce costs.

Sally has over 25 years of professional experience at a senior level, within the adult services sector. She specialised in the housing sector, where she operationally and strategically led on the management and development of housing and services for older people, the homeless and care leavers.

Dr Steph Lyons has significant experience of working within the health and social care sector in both adult’s and children’s services. Steph’s previous roles have encompassed front line delivery as an assistant youth support worker and as a Service Manager of a countywide homelessness prevention service. She has also worked at a strategic level as a Programme Manager.