Your team

“I can’t remember a time when I haven’t been surrounded by fostering. My parents fostered many young people over a period of more than 30 years and in March 1989 set up the second independent fostering agency in the UK. I joined this fostering service in 1991 and from 2002, I undertook the role of Operations Director and was integral in supporting the board of directors to expand the range of fostering, residential and educational services across the Southeast. Due to retirement and exit of the founding directors in 2005, I undertook the Responsible Individual and Managing Director role until 2007. After this I established FosterCare UK in May 2007 with my partner Alison Finn. My focus being strategic planning and establishing this new fostering service as a pioneer in therapeutic fostering that this service is now nationally known by. I used my key strengths in business development, contracting and commissioning, partnership working and setting high standards to drive this service forward.

Given my many years of strategic, HR, financial, operational and compliance experience, I will continue to use these strengths to support evolve Therapeutic Children’s Services, and look forward to develop a range of children’s services across the group, over the coming years.”

Vanessa is a skilled, motivated and emphatic senior manager with 23 years social care experience gained in the UK & Ireland across public, private & voluntary sectors across children and families service. She has a particular specialism in permanence which includes fostering, adoption (domestic and intercountry), kinship, special guardianship, panel, residential, children with disabilities, placements and care leavers. She has extensive experience across the permanence agenda, having worked across a number of Local Authorities and IFA’s primarily in the London and South East region.

My career to date has afforded methe opportunity to work as a practitioner, middle manager and senior manager to help bring about change and most importantly improving life chances for cared for children and young people.

Managing fostering services both in local authority and IFA settings have been consistent lead areas of responsibility throughout my career to date. I am passionate about making a difference to children’s lives and truly value and admire the invaluable role foster parents provide and am excited to lead evolve in the next phase of their journey.

My name is Jason, after working in residential care for 8 years rising from residential worker to managing two children’s homes. I decided that I wanted to work in a position to affect change for children so began pursuing a social work degree which achieved in 2017. During my career I have remained passionate about advocating for children in a world where sometimes process takes priority over meeting needs and simply making relationships and caring about how they think and feel. I have worked as a domestic violence advisor ensuring that victims of abuse receive the best outcome’s for them in court which was not always convictions or prison sentences for the people who harmed them. I have worked within local authorities with children in care and in the courts ensuring that children and families are supported and ensuring children are at the centre of decision making. I have supported foster carers as a supervising social worker and I also managed the placement of children, matching the strengths of children to the strengths of carers. I decided to join evolve as I feel the service aligns with my value’s. Putting children at the centre of the planning, implementation and maintenance of the support they receive in a way that I haven’t seen before. I am very excited to play my part within this service.

“I am an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing practitioner (EMDR). Registered with both the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and the EMDR Association.

For the past eighteen years, I have worked in the NHS as a senior clinician in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) specialising in working with looked after children. Prior to this, I worked across various fostering and residential fostering agencies, providing individual trauma informed therapeutic interventions for the young people and reflective supervision groups and training for the staff. I also trained in Dyadic Development Psychotherapy a psychotherapeutic treatment method for children and families with complex trauma and attachment difficulties.

My area of interest and specialism is the impact of trauma on children and young people in the care system and providing targeted evidence-based interventions, for the children, young people and those that care for them, thereby improving the social and emotional outcomes for these children.

I have over 20 years’ experience providing training to social workers, foster carers and adopters in the area of trauma and parenting traumatised children and young people.

My interest in the field of trauma also extends to my role as a foster carer parent, having fostered young people for over fifteen years, enabling me to better understand and empathise with the rewards and challenges faced by foster parents on a daily basis.’

“I have been working within the evolve group since graduating university in 2020.

Starting as evolve’s office administrator, to office manager. since doing these two roles, I have found the career path I would like to take is within HR. I am currently completing a CIPD Level 5 in People Management to help develop my skills further.

I enjoy the variety of my role and supporting the senior management team in delivery outstanding services for children and young people.”

“I started my career in finance at Pfizer Ltd on a YTS (Youth Training Scheme) after finishing college.  I stayed there for about 8 years, then joined a merchandise company in Margate working there for 4 years.

The next 12 years saw my finance career move into the Independent Fostering Sector, working at FSG then at FosterCare UK.

I have since worked in a local secondary school for just over 5 years, and now looking forward to making my way back to working in the Fostering Sector again.”

Hi, I’m India.

After spending the last 11 months turning Blossomer House into a home for our future children and young people, I’m excited to start my new role as the finance assistant.

I’m looking forward to seeing what knowledge I gain within my new role and to be a part of Evolve as it grows.

Having worked in the food industry for a long time, I’m very passionate about cooking and baking and spend a lot of my spare time testing new recipes.

“After spending eight years, and a pandemic, in retail I decided the time was right to leave the only career I had ever known to pursue my passion for PR and Marketing.  I enjoy my varied role with the evolve Group, supporting and delivering recruitment, marketing, and social media strategies, whilst ensuring high standards are met in terms of direct delivery of services to children and young people.”

“I grew up in a fostering family, and have been surrounded by fostering, children and young people for most of my life, this has clearly informed my career path over the years.
I have previously worked within the Independent Fostering Sector as a recruitment coordinator so have knowledge and understanding of the recruitment process and the skills and attributes needed for potential foster parents. I am confident in building relationships with applicants and supporting the application process through to panel, providing all aspects of administration throughout the process.
Having worked within the care leavers service for 3 years, I have seen the need for more therapeutic foster care/placements for children much earlier on and definitely before they reach the age of 18. It’s apparent we need therapeutically trained, empathic, insightful and reflective carers to care for and meet the needs of the young people in the care system.”

Within my previous roles as a senior service manager, I have used my educational background in psychology and knowledge of residential childcare to create therapeutic communities for children, which have made lifelong and lasting differences to their lives.

I believe every child deserves to feel safe, heard and supported, and I am passionate about creating nurturing environments and homes where young people are empowered grow into the best version of themselves. I am dedicated to ensuring each child is surrounded by adults who truly care, showing understanding of messages behind the behaviour and who invest wholly into supporting them to make positive changes.

With the trauma informed care, consistency, and encouragement, I have seen first hand how lives can change and how young people can thrive – and I am committed to walking alongside them every step on that journey.

“I am a skilled, motivated and emphatic senior manager with 23 years social care experience gained in the UK & Ireland across public, private & voluntary sectors across children and families service. My specialism is in permanence which includes fostering, adoption (domestic and intercountry), kinship, special guardianship, panel, residential, children with disabilities, placements and care leavers. I have extensive experience across the permanence agenda, having worked across a number of Local Authorities and IFA’s primarily in the London and South East region.
My career to date has afforded her the opportunity to work as a practitioner, middle manager and senior manager to help bring about change and most importantly improving life chances for cared for children and young people.
Managing fostering services both in local authority and IFA settings have been consistent lead areas of responsibility throughout my career to date. I am passionate about making a difference to children’s lives and truly value and admire the invaluable role foster carers provide and am excited to join Evolve in the next phase of their journey. I too am a mum to three teenagers and can relate to the many joys and challenges a caring role provides and look forward to meeting with Evolve fostering families very soon

I have been a social worker for 18 years, in different roles in Romania (for 4 years) and in the Uk for 14 years. I have a vast experience in front line, in different roles and more than 6 years’ experience in fostering. I am very passionate to work with children and foster carers and to support children on their journey of recovery from abuse and loss, which they had experienced before coming into care.

I am passionate about brain development and brain patterns,  and how unresolved pain/ trauma from the past can trigger our behaviour at any age.

I am looking forward to embarking on the journey of working with Evolve Therapeutic Fostering and getting to know my colleagues, the foster cares, and the children, and to make a difference to the children’ s life together.

I qualified as a social worker in 2005. I started my social work career working in independent fostering services and has extensive experience in social work, management, and quality assurance. Following many years undertaking the Supervising Social worker role and being responsible for the supervision, support, training, and development of a team of foster carers within a wellestablished and reputed fostering service. I established FosterCare UK with Jonathan and undertook the Registered Managers role, Panel Advisor, QA director and Agency Decision Maker (ADM).

“Hi, I’m Jill. My background is as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, I have worked in a variety of different fields, including drug and alcohol street agencies and rehabilitation centres through to residential children’s homes and specialist fostering agencies. My current role is a senior clinician in a Kent CAMHS where I work mainly with looked after children.
In more recent years I trained further in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, an evidence-based intervention for trauma. I am also a long-term foster carer, with three teenagers currently with me. “

I have worked within the independent fostering sector for most of my career; after finishing college my first role was as an Administration Assistant at Fostering Support Group, I then went onto work for FosterCare UK as the Recruitment Co-ordinator, following this I then worked in estate agency for around 5 years and in IT recruitment for nearly 2 years. I am now pleased to be returning into the foster sector again as Compliance Manager at evolve, working alongside a great team of people.

“I’m Neve, the administrator for evolve.

I have been a part of the Therapeutic team for over a year. I am enjoying learning about the effects of Trauma and Therapeutic Parenting whilst developing my administrative skills.”

I’m Faye, I am new to the administration team, I have over 7 years childcare experience where I was a SenCo, and 5 and a half years admin experience within the NHS. 

I am really looking forward to seeing what my skills can bring to the company and looking forward to learning new skills along the way. 

I am a single parent to my 8 year old daughter who has recently been diagnosed with ADHD.

“I am a qualified social worker who has been working in fostering for 10 years, before this I have worked in Supported Housing and Domestic Abuse. I have, over the past 10 years, been heavily involved in the preparation, assessment, and training of prospective foster carers. I always want to make sure that fostering is right for your family as well as any potential child. Having spent some years supervising carers I know how essential good support is to enable carers to do a role that is both challenging and rewarding. What I am always looking for in carers is warmth which I believe can’t be taught and a professional approach which can be. I am always excited to meet carers at the beginning of their journey and to know their experiences further along the path.”

“My name is Julia, and I am an Independent Panel Member and Vice Chair. I have over 30 years’ experience working in the children’s services sector, including 18 years with the local authority and 10 years establishing and running my own childcare provisions. I am a parent and former foster carer.
In my spare time I enjoy walking my dogs, gardening, and baking.”

“My background is in education, working in the sector for over twenty-five years, encompassing all age groups from primary education through to university. In addition to teaching, my roles have had a focus on quality improvement, pastoral support and widening participation, including for children in care and care leavers. I have been an independent representative on fostering panels for thirteen years, in the roles of education adviser, vice-chair and chair, and I have also been involved in the development and delivery of training programmes for both foster carers and panel members. I have two birth children and two step-children, and live with my husband and youngest children just outside Canterbury.”

“I live in East Kent, I’m married and live with my hard working wife and twin teenage daughters. I am a retired Police Officer and was a Detective in Kent Police for 30 years. In my spare time I enjoy long walks with our energetic dog and attending sporting events where I can; in particular I’m a keen follower of both Derby County and Maidstone United football clubs.

My career within the Police centred on the CID, and I have extensive experience in crime investigation. I was a member of Kent Police’s Serious Crime Unit and following promotion I eventually led the Anti-Corruption Unit at Police Headquarters.”

“I am Mark and I Independent Panel Member with a background in The Police Service. I am also a Foster Carer.

I am retired now but spent the last 8 years of my service specialising in child abuse investigations & safeguarding, working closely with partner agencies such as Social Services, Education & Health. The role could be harrowing at times but also rewarding and it has given me a good insight into the abuse & neglect suffered by children who come into care. It also gave me a sound knowledge around complaints, allegations and how to safeguard yourselves as carers as well as the children in our care.”

“Hello, my name is Michael Crutchley, and I am 40-year-old male from Kent. I am married, with two young football-mad boys. As a result my life has transformed from aspiring premier league star to football coach and taxi driver! I am passionate about providing an input to the fostering sector and have been fortunate enough to undertake the role of independent panel member since 2010.

The role of panel member combines my studies (Social Sciences BSc Undergraduate, and Psychology PgDip) alongside my family background…. I was adopted at birth in a mixed-race family and grew up in Broadstairs, Kent. I feel as a “care leaver” I can evaluate and contribute carer applications in a different way to professionals. Adding value to the panel process gives me great satisfaction. My full-time role is vastly different and gives me a sense of balance. I manage a large team of IT Recruitment consultants in the City of London. I take great pride in mentoring and developing my team and servicing a wide range of clients across all sectors. So if spare time permits, I will be seen on a golf course looking for my errant drive or following my beloved football team from North London (I will not say which one!).”

“I’m Jennie I live with my husband, teenage daughter, and assorted pets in Herne Bay. I have worked with children ever since my mid-teens, be it in nurseries, primary schools or in colleges, the latter of which involved mentoring and advocating for teenagers in a pastoral role. I have also served in a voluntary capacity via her local church for many years and set up and ran a successful Baby and Toddler Group for over 10 years. Other opportunities enabled me to co-lead a trip to Vietnam to work with families and children living in the poorest areas of Ho Chi Minh city. I am currently part of the wider leadership team within the church and alongside my husband she coaches small group leaders, helps with a bible study for teenage girls. I enjoy reading, making cards, watching True Crime TV and is passionate about patchwork and quilting.”

“I live and work in Kent and until recently was a GP with over 30 years experience in Primary Care. I’ve been the Medical Advisor to a number of Fostering Agencies and have been involved as a Panel Member for some years. My wife is a School Nurse and I’ve 2 adult children.”

“I have a broad background in Education having worked in schools and universities. As a primary teacher I have taught children between the ages of 3 – 11 years before specialising in supporting SEND children as an advisory teacher and SENCO. I have also run a nurture group for permanently excluded children successfully re-integrating the majority back into full time education. Later in my career I worked in universities as a programme director on a primary PGCE course and later ran a masters programme in education for teachers and other professionals wishing to gain a MA qualification.
Throughout my career I have championed the importance of putting the needs of children first to ensure they are given the best opportunities to succeed and to reach their full potential.”

“I am currently studying psychology at university, hoping to go into psychotherapy as a career. I am 18 and have been in foster care since I was 10.”

Hello, I am Beverley and I live in Kent with my partner, we have 6 children between us, and 4 wonderful grandchildren.  I started my career as a dance teacher and experienced dancing around Europe within a touring show.  As a child growing up, I had always wanted to be a midwife, and so attended college and then University to gain the qualifications needed to follow my dream.  I have worked within the NHS for 19 years and have been very privileged to have shared the journey to parenthood, with all the highs and lows that brings, with many people along the way.

Hi, I’m Sian.

I have been a foster carer for my Local Authority for 9 years and I am passionate about fostering.

Before fostering I worked as an Occupational Therapist within the NHS, with roles across mental health, learning disabilities and physical health.

With three birth children we have a busy home but in my spare time I enjoy baking, reading and travelling. 

I am looking forward to being part of the fostering panel and being able to share my passion for fostering with others. 

I’m Sarah , a Social Worker with 15 years experience and a Mummy to two beautiful (and very active) children. Both roles keep me busy and every day I learn something new!

When I first qualified in 2010 I worked in a Children’s Safeguarding Team, before choosing to focus on fostering. For the majority of my career I’ve worked within fostering and have experience of supporting foster carers in Independent Organisations as well as the Local Authority. I have also worked with special guardians and kinship carers.

In 2023 I made the decision to become an Independent Social Worker and it’s provided me with lots of opportunities to work with some amazing organisations and people. I’ve had the privilege of assessing potential carers, completing their annual reviews and working with fostering panels.

I love what I do and I’m passionate about ensuring that children have the opportunity to live in a safe and loving home. I also enjoy meeting foster carers and supporting them on their fostering journey, and look forward to meeting you at panel today.

“I have been a Children & Families Social Worker since 2002 when I joined the Local Authority and worked within several different front-line teams, working closely with police, health, education, and other key agencies to promote and safeguard the safety and welfare of vulnerable children. Working my way up to Team Manager, Gaby has experience of managing Duty & Assessment teams and an Out of Hours Service, where the support of children in care and close liaison with their foster carers to achieve the best outcomes for children is a key requirement. As a Practice Educator and somebody who enjoys supporting and developing the practise of others, I have supervised both social workers and foster carers, helping them to reach their full potential whilst progressing their individual career paths. I have also provided training to foster carers on a variety of different subjects. Now working solely as an Independent Social Worker, I specialise in assessing prospective foster carers, exploring both their current strengths and areas for development, whilst supporting them through every stage of the process. As an excellent communicator, I readily engage applicants helping them to feel at ease, offering important encouragement and guidance as they embark upon their” fostering journey.”

“Hi I am Alina am I am a qualified social worker with over 12 years’ experience in statutory children’s social work. My experience includes working as a social worker, senior practitioner and team manager for Kent and other local authorities across London in various teams such as Referral and Assessment, Child Protection long term, Care Planning and Fostering teams.

In August 2022 I became an Independent Social Worker undertaking a wide range of complex reports in relation to children and families in need and parenting assessments within the Pre-Proceedings framework as well as cases within Care Proceedings, Private Law Proceedings, SGO, Viability Assessments, Connected Person/ Kinship and Regulation 24 Assessments. My expertise is with children in care and fostering, areas on which I have focused since 2015 and this has enabled me to become an experienced Form F Assessor and undertake assessments of prospective foster carers for Independent Fostering Agencies, Local Authorities and sit in Fostering Panels.

My experience of working with and assessing families from a wide range of cultures and ethnicities including families whose first language is not English. Throughout my career, inherent in my practice, is a commitment to ensure equal opportunities and embracing of all cultures, ethnicities and diversity.”

I’m Sarah , a Social Worker with 15 years experience and a Mummy to two beautiful (and very active) children. Both roles keep me busy and every day I learn something new!

When I first qualified in 2010 I worked in a Children’s Safeguarding Team, before choosing to focus on fostering. For the majority of my career I’ve worked within fostering and have experience of supporting foster carers in Independent Organisations as well as the Local Authority. I have also worked with special guardians and kinship carers.

In 2023 I made the decision to become an Independent Social Worker and it’s provided me with lots of opportunities to work with some amazing organisations and people. I’ve had the privilege of assessing potential carers, completing their annual reviews and working with fostering panels.

I love what I do and I’m passionate about ensuring that children have the opportunity to live in a safe and loving home. I also enjoy meeting foster carers and supporting them on their fostering journey, and look forward to meeting you at panel today.

“I am an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing practitioner (EMDR). Registered with both the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and the EMDR Association.

For the past eighteen years, I have worked in the NHS as a senior clinician in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) specialising in working with looked after children. Prior to this, I worked across various fostering and residential fostering agencies, providing individual trauma informed therapeutic interventions for the young people and reflective supervision groups and training for the staff. I also trained in Dyadic Development Psychotherapy a psychotherapeutic treatment method for children and families with complex trauma and attachment difficulties.

My area of interest and specialism is the impact of trauma on children and young people in the care system and providing targeted evidence-based interventions, for the children, young people and those that care for them, thereby improving the social and emotional outcomes for these children.

I have over 20 years’ experience providing training to social workers, foster carers and adopters in the area of trauma and parenting traumatised children and young people.

My interest in the field of trauma also extends to my role as a foster carer parent, having fostered young people for over fifteen years, enabling me to better understand and empathise with the rewards and challenges faced by foster parents on a daily basis.’

“I am a clinical psychologist working in both the NHS and private practise. I completed my undergraduate in Kent and completed his clinical doctorate training in Sheffield.

I have worked in a variety of different settings in the NHS; including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Child Development Clinics and in various Adult settings. My main clinical interests are in how mental health professionals can support foster carers to build resilient, compassionate and caring, homes and how assessment and formulation can inform this process. My personal interests include cycling with his daughter and kayaking around the Kent coast.”

I have worked with children and families for over 20 years in a variety of different roles, including working in the NHS and local authority.

As a family therapist., I have worked in several different CAMHS teams across the country and worked with children and families with a range of presenting difficulties including eating disorders, OCD, depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma, and many more. I have worked with children in a care in a range of contexts including a specialist fostering provision and specific children in care CAMHS Team.

I have many years of experience working with children and families in all variations and am passionate about creating a safe and non-judgemental space where we can think about difficulties together and nurture change.

Hello, I’m Suzie. I am a qualified and HCPC Registered Drama therapist. I was previously a secondary school drama teacher. I have also spent most of my career working in the field of sexual abuse, exploitation, and domestic violence. I now work primarily as a drama therapist for looked after children, and I deliver training and reflective practice to staff in children’s homes. I am also a trustee for a sexual abuse charity.

Dramatherapy is a ‘bottom up’ approach to therapy. Meaning that, in relation to trauma, it begins with the brain stem, the non-verbal part of the brain. I use a variety of styles of play and art forms within therapy, and I use a client led approach, with safety and attachment being the key focus.

I am a registered mental health nurse (RMN), independent prescriber, and children’s therapist, specialising in working with young people who have experienced early life trauma and adversity. I currently work with looked after and adopted young people across NHS and private settings. I work holistically with young people, their carers, and their schools, completing mental health assessments, considering diagnosis and treatment, and offering trauma-focused play and cognitive therapies.