Keeping The Promise: Next Steps Digital Conference 

Jacqueline Cassidy joined The Fostering Network in February 2022 as Director for Practice (UK) and Scotland. She works with fostering families and professionals to ensure that all children have the best possible care.

Throughout her career, she has focused on supporting children and young people most recently as the Director for Scotland and Wales at the school based mental health charity, Place2Be. Previously, she spent a decade at the national children and young people’s charity, Children in Scotland where she worked with colleagues and partners to develop a range of programmes to support improved practice and policy outcomes for children and young people. Prior to that she managed a young people’s charity, the Kent People’s Trust, and spent several years at the Westminster think tank, the Social Market Foundation.

Jacqueline has an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and in 2019, she received a Churchill Fellowship and conducted research on intergenerational co-located child and elder care.  She is Trustee of the Intergenerational nursery and organisation, Ready Generations and also Trustee of Includem who help children, young people and families realise their potential.

Jacqueline is passionate about the mission of The Fostering Network to ensure that all children and young people have the best possible support to achieve their full potential. She is committed to #KeepingThePromise

Jackie was appointed as the Chief Executive at the Care Inspectorate in September 2022.

Jackie qualified in Scotland before starting her career in London, moving back to Scotland in 1991.

Jackie has been a Chief Social Work Officer for over 10 years and comes to the Care Inspectorate from her current post as Service Director, Children and Families and Justice Services within the City of Edinburgh Council.

Jackie has over 30 years’ experience of working in the public sector and has also managed community health services for children.

As Chief Social Work Officer Jackie had overall governance responsibility for the quality and provision of social work services both within the Council structure and within a fully integrated Health and Social Care Partnership as well as an adult’s only partnership.  In these roles she has provided professional advice as it relates to the provision of social work services.

Jackie’s previous positions were predominantly in children’s services but not exclusively, as she has had strategic and management responsibility for community justice, community-based health services, hospital-based social work, homelessness and refugee and migration services.  Jackie spent two years as an Inspector in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in the Child Protection team and was an advisor for the Scottish Executive on a part time basis for four years.  Jackie also has extensive experience working in key strategic planning and performance roles.

Jackie was appointed as Vice President of Social Work Scotland in 2017 and then as President in 2018 and has served on the Social Work Scotland Board.

Alistair is Head of Practice and Policy at SCRA, and has been a Children’s Reporter since 2000.  He has held a variety of roles in SCRA, and has worked across most of Scotland.  Prior to joining SCRA, he was a solicitor specialising in criminal defence.  Alistair attends many multi agency partnership forums, and was a member of the Hearing System Working Group.  He is also a member of the Bairnhoose Governance Group.

Stephanie has been a qualified social worker since 2003 and has spent the last 19 years working within local authority statutory social work settings.  She has experience of working across a variety of care groups. Stephanie first became a leader in social work in 2008 and establishing strong team cultures of kindness and trust has been her passion.  Stephanie believes that employee well-being is critical to forming an environment where creativity can thrive.

Stephanie brings a sound knowledge of legislation and policy applicable to social work and has vast experience of applying this in practice.  Most of Stephanie’s career has involved leading integrated health and social work teams within adult care settings.  She has experience of working with complex situations and collaborating with others to develop bespoke and preventative models of care. Stephanie has led on projects/steering groups and improvement priorities.  

Fiona leads CYCJ in its work to improve children’s lives through improving policy, practice, participation and research. This involves supporting professionals from all disciplines who work with children and young people on the cusp of – or involved in – offending, by promoting best practice based on up-to-date evidence and research. Before joining CYCJ Fiona was seconded to the Scottish Government’s Youth Justice team for three years; prior to this she worked for ten years as a social worker and social work manager within the fields of youth and criminal justice. 

Seonaid Graham is the Lead for Care Experienced Learners in Glasgow Virtual School. Prior to this Seonaid was seconded as a Senior Educational Psychologist into the Care Experienced Team. Seonaid has worked as an Educational Psychologist and before this as a Primary School Teacher. Alongside her Residential Children’s House colleagues Seonaid successfully led on the implementation of ‘How Nurturing is Our Children’s House’ programme in Glasgow. Seonaid is passionate about improving educational outcomes for Care Experienced Learners and improving their post school destinations. She is part of the CELCIS Virtual School network and has recently been part of a working party within the network looking at alternatives to exclusions.

Claire is Assistant Principal for Health and Wellbeing at Glasgow Clyde College. Originally a PE teacher, Claire started her career in Further Education as a lecturer in Sport, Fitness and Exercise in 1991, contributing to the national development of fitness and exercise qualifications for 10 years.  From there, Claire has spent over 20 years in a variety of leadership roles in Further Education, managing curriculum areas of Sport, Science, Business and Creative Industries, Health and Social Care, Early Years, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy and leading Quality and Estates support functions.

Claire is currently leading the nurture approach at Glasgow Clyde College and is passionate about equity in education and creating safe, inclusive and respectful learning environments.  A firm believer that success is best achieved when working in partnership, Claire continues to develop relationships and projects that support learners to thrive and achieve their goals.