Maureen has had a varied social work career beginning as a residential worker in a children’s home in Lancashire and progressing over the years in Lancashire and Cumbria County Councils in various social work positions and has spent the latter19 years working at Action for Children

As an active member of national working trust boards including Children and Young People partnership, Safeguarding, and Training and Development Boards. Maureen has experience of providing support to assist local authorities in gauging effectiveness and improving services to safeguard children has experience of consultation and negotiation of service level agreements and contracts with various commissioners and corporate sponsors and has a vast experience of developing new services she has worked with various local authorities on the development and revision of service specifications and business planning for the delivery of Children’s Centres and targeted family support services.

As strategic development manager Maureen works along side various universities who undertake research into supporting families’ services and is presently working with Salford University on `What works when working with Neglect` a 4 year longitudinal study which will help evidence quality practice and support future professional practice in this complex and challenging area of work.