What are your main responsibilities? Primarily, safeguardingchildren.
I also manage more than 100 staff, and have to ensure services arewithin budget and of excellent quality.
What did you do before? I worked in children's services at the LondonBorough of Brent and, before that, I qualified as a generic socialworker in Hammersmith.
What was your best career decision? Doing voluntary work. In Kenya Iworked as a teacher, surrounded by both poverty and affluence. I camehere to do accountancy but, after working in a hospital's social workdepartment, I realised that I wanted to work in the community.
What made you decide to get into children's services? The work isvaried, challenging and demanding. I still keep in touch with some ofthe children I worked with when I was a social worker, and it's amazingto see the impact you've made years later.
What advice do you have for others entering children's services? Youmust feel absolutely passionate about working with children and theirfamilies.
