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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.

Patricia Barry-Relph

Profile

I am Founder and Director of Co-Parenting Matters Ltd. trishbarryrelph.com I have extensive experience as an expert in the preparation of reports for Court in Public and Private Law Proceedings where there is a resist – refuse dynamic or contact difficulties with children of separated parents. I have a private clinical practice as a Specialist Systemic Family Therapist in Guildford, Surrey and in Totnes, Devon. I offer bespoke and tailored high conflict therapeutic interventions, and therapeutic viability assessments as a SJE. I am a registered social worker with 38 years’ experience in child protection, adult mental health, (warranted under 1983 MHA) with 20 years’ experience as a clinician in child and adolescent mental health CAMHS. I am a legally registered social worker with CORU in Ireland and am available to work within this jurisdiction.

Charles Plummer

Profile

I have 35 years’ experience of social work practice with children and families in a variety of settings, encompassing statutory children & families work within local authorities, residential work, family counselling, education, and latterly fostering and adoption. I have held the positions of Senior Practitioner, Practice Supervisor, and Team Manager, and have worked as a Children’s Guardian since 2005. I can undertake assessment of parents who have additional needs/challenges/vulnerabilities, for example, mental health issues, substance misuse issues and learning disabilities. (Parent Assess trained) Section 7, Section 37, & Specific Issues Reports Special Guardianship/Kinship/Connected Carers Reports Sibling Together & Apart assessments

Judi Lyons

Profile

I have worked as an independent social worker specializing in providing assessments of children and their families, principally involved in Children Act (1989) proceedings since 2004. I have provided reports for local authorities, parents and grandparents in public law proceedings and given evidence in court. I have also conducted parenting assessments in the UK and Europe. Until 2010 I was also a Children’s Guardian, having spent 25 years in this role. I have combined this area of work with being a practice teacher and part-time lecturer in social work. I am a qualified FMA supervisor and work as a family mediator and supervisor in divorce proceedings. I currently train solicitors for the Children Panel.

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.

Helena Ware

Profile

I qualified in 1976. I worked in a local authority and as senior psychiatric social worker, in Child and Family and Psychiatry. I am a Children’s Guardian and caseworker for NYAS. I have been an independent social worker for the past 21 years specialising as an expert witness in private law and public law assessments in Children Act proceedings. I undertake independent social work assessments of families in private law matters involving residence and contact as well as leave to remove from the jurisdiction or internal relocation. I have assessed parents and families in public law. I have travelled extensively all over the world for assessments in both public and private law. I have family therapy and PAMs training.

Elena Sandrini

Profile

I have 38 years experience of working with children and families gained in England, mainland Europe and some third world countries. I specialise in undertaking complex risk and kinship assessments in the UK and abroad, especially in third world states. I have considerable experience in assisting parties to identify common grounds and to enable conciliation when to do so is realistic and appropriate. I have a proven ability to work with those whose ability to care for them is impaired by learning disability of by the effect of substance misuse. I am a strong and effective motivator. I am a trained mediator, I am fluent in Italian and I am approved by the Italian Consulate to undertake assessments in Italy and my work is recognised by the Italian Courts. I have undertaken training as a coach with animas and I available to coach and mediate in English and Italian.

John Abdullah-Zadeh

Profile

Experienced Independent Social Worker throughout England and Wales. Over 40 years Social Work experience, 21 years Local Authority Social Work &Team Manager. International social work, parenting capacity & kinship assessments. Expertise in cultures, ethnicity, faith, and traditions relating to Asian, African, and European families. Immigration and mental health-related issues. Multilingual

Marie-Louise Perkins

Profile

Qualified for 14 years, with 12 years frontline child protection and Court proceedings work including Team Manager roles in a Local Authority. Most recently I have been the PLO manager whilst providing staff training around court proceedings and involved in several High Court cases. I have completed Fostering assessments (Form F and reg 24) sibling assessments, parenting assessments (including for parents with addition, domestic abuse and mental health concerns), viability assessments for connected persons as well as working as a Cafcass Associate particularly in private law proceedings (Section 7 reports).

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).