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Rukhsana Farooqi

Profile

Dr Rukhsana Farooqi Social Work Consultant/Director of Empowering Black Children and Families LTD a multidisciplinary Team. I have expertise in working with families from Pakistan, India and, Bangladesh and an interest in working with children of dual heritage. Also experience of working in child protection and assessing children and families subject to court proceedings. I have been a Guardian ad Litem for the Leicester, Nottingham, Birmingham and London panels and a part-time Court Welfare Officer for the Middlesex Probation Service. I undertake Independent comprehensive assessments in Public and Private Law Proceedings, immigration, age assessments and work for the Official Solicitor. I have expertise in forced marriage and honour based violence. I have undertaken assessments where there have been issues of radicalisation. I also have expertise in child and adolescent mental health and therapeutic work with young Asian women.

Eugene McCarthy

Profile

I provide an Assessment Service specialising in Form F, Special Guardianship, Kinship Care, & Art 56 (EU Regs) in relation to the placement of children in Ireland from the UK and other EU jurisdictions. I also provide risk assessment and follow up support and supervision where required. My agency Social Work Solutions Ireland is approved for the purposes of obtaining Garda (Irish Police) Vetting. Irish state registered social worker (www.coru.ie) (Reg. No. 005439) and member Irish Assoc of Social Workers (IASW).

Philippa Hector

Profile

Pippa Hector started Hector Independent Assessments in March 2008 having worked in the statutory sector for over 10 years in Child Protection and Mental Health. She quickly gained a reputation for in-depth assessments and as demand has grown established a small team of Social Workers who offer a comprehensive Parenting and Kinship Assessment service. We have developed a framework for parenting assessments that gives a flexible range from snap shots of parents knowledge to in depth assessments over 12 weeks to analyse not only parental understanding but ability to change patterns of behaviour and promote the needs of their children.

Kev Stroud

Profile

I am an Independent Social Worker and Social Work Consultant with nearly 30 years experience of practice and management in social care services, primarily in local authority child protection work. I have worked in various teams - assessment, care planning and court work included - and dealt with a wide range of risk issues for children. I began working independently in 2016. I have well developed assessment, care planning, supervisory and report writing skills. My interests are in improving the effectiveness and quality of services and ensuring good assessment, planning and long-term outcomes for children and families.

Fareena Shaheed

Profile

I qualified as a Social Worker in 1996 and commenced work in a local authority, undertaking the full range of statutory intervention. After working with an Independent Fostering Provider I joined Cafcass as a Family Court Adviser, then progressing to Service Manager. I later returned to local authority practice in a QA and Practice Development role. As an Independent Practitioner I provide a broad range of high quality assessments. In addition, I have IRO experience, and contributed the OU SW degree course as an Associate Lecturer. I regularly design and deliver training for practitioners. Find out more or contact me at fareena@fareenashaheed.com or http://fareenashaheed.com/

Carole Littlechild

Profile

Whilst working with families to develop & maintain parenting skills, understand traumas associated with neglect & abuse, disrupted care through to alternative permanent parenting - understanding & representing children’s needs throughout has been my focus, as a social worker & manager in front line & adoption, in Court reports, as family mediator, as Children’s Guardian & Adoption Panel Advisor. Latterly I have specialised in developing my understanding of trauma and attachment needs in children. I have over 30 years of providing consultancy, practice supervision & training. I have extensive experience in all matters relating to adoption in England & Wales.

Jeffrey Baker

Profile

I am an Independent Social Worker and Expert Witness with 25 years of experience as a qualified social worker, including more than 10 years in independent practice as an expert witness within the UK family court system and investigating complaints and allegations against professionals. I have worked in Local Authority children’s services, Cafcass, and taught social work in universities. I have extensive experience in private and public law proceedings; Section 7 reports; parenting assessments; risk assessments and adoption work. My written and oral evidence has been positively evaluated in several published Family Court judgments.

Clare Mowbray

Profile

Clare Mowbray is a self employed Children’s Guardian/Family Court Adviser and Independent practitioner and practice teacher. Clare’s Cafcass work is within Gloucestershire, the independent practice is outside Gloucestershire. Independent work includes assessments in public and private law cases of parents and grandparents etc, assessments of prospective foster cases and file reviews in respect of social services provision. The training of Guardians, social workers and other professionals is carried out through Cafcass and independent assignments. Clare has a particular interest in mental health and adoption issues and markets her own report writing skills course for social workers.

Karen Gorbutt

Profile

Qualifying in 1994, I worked for Cafcass in private & public law for 12 years & as a Probation Officer. My Local Authority experience is in Early Help & Children’s Social Care where I held a specialist domestic abuse post for 7 years. I have worked independently since 2021 as a NYAS caseworker in Rule 16.4 Guardian proceedings, as a Section 7 report expert witness in family court proceedings & providing coercive control consultancy & training. I also take direct instructions from parents as a McKenzie Friend in family court proceedings. I was awarded the Certificate in Chairing a Domestic Homicide Review in November 2025.

Angela Russo

Profile

As a bilingual (Italian/English) social worker registered in UK and Italy, I bring over 25 years of experience in social and criminal justice. I specialize in cross-border assessments between the UK and Italy, including Special Guardianship & Connected Person, Kinship, Viability, and Parenting Assessments. My experience covers navigating complex issues and be-spoke support in cross-border kinship care. With a background as a Family Court Advisor for Cafcass and a Probation Officer (in the UK and equivalent in Italy), I have developed particular interest and strength in addressing challenges related to alcohol/drug misuse, mental health, domestic violence, parental conflict, alienation allegations, sexual abuse, and Immigration/asylum. Based primarily in Italy, I collaborate with UK Local Authorities and Italian Social Services to facilitate transitions from the UK to Italy, arrange post-placement support, and secure legal permanency for children with kinship carers in Italy. Additionally, I work as a court expert with high-conflict bilingual families, in the Italian family courts and participate in conferences and training, that contribute to social work education in Italy.