Sue Cooper

John is a qualified social worker with over 30 years experience including leadership roles in commissioning and organisational transformation. Since joining IPC in 2021 John has worked on projects in both adults and children’s social care focusing particularly on market shaping.

Simon is a qualitative research professional with 25 years’ experience of conducting and coordinating social and policy research for the public, private and tertiary sectors. He has recruited and moderated focus groups, co-ordinated public engagement exercises and conducted depth interviews in the UK and overseas, in person and remotely.

Richard is a highly experienced leader with over 35 years of knowledge working in a range of disciplines including adult social care, human resource management, workforce development and organisational development.

Mary has over 30 years’ experience of working in children’s social care. For 15 years she was a senior manager within local authorities and the NHS. Her experience covers youth justice, leaving care and CAMHS, as well as being influential in the development of early help services. She is skilled in partnership working and was the chair of an All Wales group of managers liaising regularly with the Welsh Government influencing services for children in the Youth Justice system.

Judith is a qualified social worker and an experienced leader and manager. She is a former Director of People’s Services, having held the statutory roles of both DCS and DASS. Before becoming a DCS, she worked in London local authorities within statutory children’s services as well as being a strategic commissioning manager working across social care, schools and the health economy to improve outcomes.

Robert worked as a front-line practitioner and senior manager in multi-disciplinary services for 40 years, before becoming a freelance consultant in 2011. He has a professional background in children’s health and social care operations, policy and service development. Robert has held assignments in DfE England Innovation Project (EIP) authorities to support the implementation of children’s safeguarding, Signs of Safety, Restorative Practice and Trauma Informed approaches.

Sarah is a solution-focused professional with considerable experience of health and social care commissioning in both NHS and local government. Sarah has delivered commissioning functions including procurement, performance management and service improvement, system review, needs analysis and transformation.

Philip is an experienced manager of complex change programmes and has led a wide range of service re-design projects, often requiring some integration with other organisations. He provides expert, longer-term support relating to health and social care to members of our Academic Partnership programme.

Chris has over 24 years’ experience working across the public and voluntary sector in the fields of health and social care, commissioning and community development. He is passionate about self-directed support and finding ways to make commissioning systems more personalised.