Ask the Experts: Decide on your next career move

Question: I have been in my current social work management position for several years now and feel like I'm getting stale. I'd like to move on in some way and am even considering a total career change. Where do I start?

Jeanie Lynch: It really depends whether you want to stay in your current profession or to diversify. It also depends on the size of your organisation and their commitment to staff learning, development and progression.

Think about what inspired you to choose your profession to start with. What would help you to get that back? Could you build direct contact with children into your management role in order to remain inspired? Or are there opportunities within your organisation, such as a leadership mentoring scheme, which could help coach you towards promotion?

Careers advice isn't just for young people. Think about your options and aspirations. Retrain, take a course or ask if you can shadow someone in another discipline until you decide what is right.

Jeanie Lynch works for Barnardo's and has 25 years' experience of working with vulnerable children and families

Question: A local headteacher has contacted me to say a governor acted "inappropriately" with some children while in school. As this is a church school and he's a diocesan appointee, it's not easy to deal with.

Peter Lewis: I disagree. This person must be dealt with in the same way you'd deal with anyone else. He may be well-connected and assertive but if you don't follow your usual protocols, you run enormous risk. You may want to involve others who wouldn't normally be involved - the diocesan director should be spoken to and can help with managing the conversation.

You don't say what was "inappropriate" - talking or touching. If it was talking, it may just be a case of strong advice as to the use of language. If there was any touching, you know what you need to do. Do it quickly and without compromise. You may want to check that the proper Disclosure and Barring Service checks were done for this person.

The most important thing is to check the children are okay. Do they need support? How are staff in school coping? Make sure you give support to the headteacher - this is a difficult thing they're doing.

Peter Lewis is a freelance providing interim local authority children's services leadership, and a former DCS in Haringey

Question: How do I encourage my nursery staff to absorb and actually use policies and procedures?

June O'Sullivan: People often sign to say they have read policies and procedures. They know they are hanging on the staff room wall but in practice take very little notice of them.

To get them embedded into practice, you need to be clear about their purpose. These are the rules that govern what happens in your nursery - policy sets out the key aims of the setting while procedures are the way you make it all happen.

Keep them simple and workable. It's easy to write reams that no one will read. Instead create a two-page policy or a short summary. Avoid jargon and break policies on complex issues like health and safety and safeguarding into small chunks.

Presentation is important. Use colour, quotes and bullet points. Feature one policy at every staff meeting and use photos to show it in action. Devise quizzes to test staff learning and look at other training options so staff feel confident.

Have copies of key policies around the setting and give them to staff as part of induction. Know exactly when a policy was launched and build in a review date.

June O'Sullivan is chief executive of the childcare charity and social enterprise, the London Early Years Foundation

Question: One of the young men I work with says he is frightened of his dad because he gets drunk a lot and shouts. Mum doesn't seem to be around. He told me this in confidence. What should I do?

Tracie Trimmer-Platman: You don't say how old the young man is but this sounds like a safeguarding issue so you need to share this information with the authorities. He may have told you in confidence but you have to make him understand the situation is not healthy and, as a professional, you cannot ignore it.

Let him know his safety is important to you. It might feel as though you are betraying his trust but you have to make it clear that ultimately you are helping him. In my experience when a young person reveals something like this to you they are actually doing so because they want help. You could also direct him to the Childline and NSPCC websites as they provide support for young people and discussion forums.

Tracie Trimmer-Platman is senior lecturer in youth and community work at the University of East London

Email questions, marked "Experts", to cypnow@markallengroup.com