ADOPTION MATTERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior Occupational Therapist
Alicia is an Adoption Administrator. Alicia joined Adoption Matters in September 2019.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Amanda is a Senior Adoption Social Worker in our Blackburn team.
Amanda Parker was appointed as our Patron in March 2024.
Amanda was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire in August 2023. Born, bred and educated in Lancashire she is a devoted Lancastrian. Amanda lives with her husband Robert at Browsholme Hall, one of Lancashire's most important historic houses. Together they manage the family estate developing a successful tourism, events and accommodation business in the county.
Amanda has a long record of public service in Lancashire, extending over thirty five years. Initially her voluntary work focussed on activity and sport, especially hockey, and later extended to involvement with local organisations including schools and charities. Amanda was appointed as a magistrate in 2005 serving for almost 20 years in the Adult and Family courts, only resigning to focus on her new role as Lord-Lieutenant.
In 2015, she was appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire and in 2017 was elected to the High Sheriffs' Association Council. There, Amanda was given responsibility for National Crimebeat, the Association's youth crime prevention charity, a role she has relished as it encompasses two of her passions: the lives of young people and the law.
Amanda and Robert have two adult children.
Amreen qualified as a social worker in 2000 with a Post-graduate Diploma in Social Work. Amreen previously worked in a generic Children and Families Team for a Local Authority before specialising in working with Looked After Children with a plan for adoption.
Amreen joined the agency in 2004 as an Adoption Practitioner recruiting, assessing and supporting adoptive families, but she is now a Team Manager and also runs our Bespoke Family Finding Service for children with a range of needs.
Job Titles:
- Social Worker
- Adoption Team Manager
Amy has been a Social Worker since 2005, and has spent the majority of her working life in the adoption field. Amy has performed a number of roles, such as assessing families, placing children and within an Adoption Support team.
Amy has also managed different teams within Local Authorities before joining Adoption Matters in 2017, where she is currently working as an Adoption Team Manager within the domestic mainstream adoption service.
Job Titles:
- Adoption I.T. Specialist
- Specialist
Job Titles:
- Head of Service Adoption Support
Anne has been privileged to work in the field of adoption and adoption support since 1994. Anne has worked as an Outreach Worker, Social Work Practitioner, and as Practice Manager for a highly regarded Local Authority in Cheshire before moving to join the Centre for Adoption Support (CfAS) in 2015.
The CfAS reputation for excellence was a key factor in Anne's decision to join and help develop the service.
Anne Fleming Head of Service Adoption Support About Me I have been privileged to work in the field of adoption and adoption support since 1994. I have worked as an Outreach Worker, Social Work Practitioner and as Practice Manager for a highly regarded Local Authority in Cheshire, before moving to join the Centre for Adoption Support (CfAS) in 2015. The CfAS reputation for excellence was a key factor in my decision to join and help develop the service. Outside of work I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends. I enjoy socialising, dining out and going to live indoor and outdoor music events. Over the past 10 years I have been blessed with the arrival of 6 beautiful grandchildren, I simply adore my role as Nannie Annie! What do you love most about what you do? It is a real privilege to work with such a strong and passionate adoption support team, who are exceptionally dedicated and skilled. I also really value the opportunity to work alongside so many caring and committed families and being part of their support network. I enjoy working with skilled and experienced colleagues both within Adoption Matters and with commissioning Local Authorities/Regional Adoption Agencies, working together to provide a comprehensive range of quality support services, in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for our children and young people. Close
Annesley was Managing Director of two large manufacturing subsidiaries of International Companies for thirty years.
Now retired, Annesley currently holds many board positions in charities and not for profit organisations to assist with Compliance, Governance and Probity.
Job Titles:
- Fundraising & Relationship Manager
Annie O'Neill worked in commercial business rates for 36 years, before turning to the Adoption Sector, having adopted two children herself.
She is a strong advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and feels very passionate about helping families navigate their way through their adoption journey.
As Adoption Matters' Fundraising and Relationship Manager, she is keen to raise both funds and awareness for the sector, and welcomes approaches from both the public and business world with any fundraising ideas.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Barry practised as a solicitor in Newcastle upon Tyne for 50 years until early 2020 when he retired as a consultant. He had been senior partner of his firm for 25 years. An expert in Medical Law and Ethics, he was Trust Solicitor of Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust from its creation.
Barry has specialised in family and child care law, fostering and adoption. He was a founder member of the Law Society Children Panel and continues as an Interviewer and Assessor of the Panel. He sat as a Deputy District Judge for 10 years and has been sitting as an Employment Judge in Newcastle and London since 1991.
Barry was Panel Solicitor of DFW for over 20 years as well as solicitor for two other adoption and fostering agencies.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Bernadette is a qualified children's social worker with experience in safeguarding, disability and fostering services.
Bernadette has been working within adoption for the last twelve years and has experience in assessment, family finding, early permanence and adoption support.
Working with our Centre for Adoption Support and Therapy services, Bev provides costings for support packages. Bev also liaises with local authorities and schools.
Bishop Mark Tanner was born in Canada in 1970. He went to Loughborough Grammar School and has a degree in mathematics from Oxford, a degree in theology and ministry from Durham, and a Master's degree in applied theology from Liverpool.
Before ordination in 1998, he was a youth worker at Holy Trinity, Coventry. He trained for the ministry at Cranmer Hall.
Job Titles:
- Bishop
- Bishop of Blackburn / Bishop Philip North Took Up His Role As the Bishop of Blackburn in Summer 2023, Following the Approval of His Nomination in January 2023
Prior to this, Bishop Philip served as the Bishop of Burnley for eight years. Bishop Philip occasionally contributes to BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day.
Brigid joined Adoption Matters in January 2023 after working in HR across different sectors including retail, charity and consultancy. Brigid works alongside our HR Manager, Dianne, as HR Assistant.
Job Titles:
- Concurrent Planning Social Worker
Carmel joined the Adoption Matters Concurrent Planning team as a Social Worker in February 2018. Carmel has always had an interest in Concurrent Planning.
Carmel was fortunate to have worked on the Goodman Concurrent Planning team some years back before it folded in 2009, but was delighted to be reunited with former colleagues who were on the Adoption Matters Concurrent Planning team.
Carmel believes it is a joy and at times humbling to work with families who choose to adopt via the Concurrent planning route, in order to provide a stable nurturing start for young children.
Carolyn was a practising family barrister at Cobden House Chambers in Manchester specialising in all aspects of children's proceedings. This included representing Local Authorities, parents, grandparents, guardians, children and the police in public care and adoption cases and private law disputes. Her specialism was adoption, fostering and special guardianship. She retired in 2021.
Carolyn is a member of the Church of England Legal Aid committee as well as being chair of the Blackburn Cathedral Safeguarding Management Group and an Authorised Lay Minister.
As Chair of Adoption Matters Board of Trustees, Carolyn has been a trustee of Adoption Matters for 20 years and chair since 2017 and before the merger a trustee of Blackburn Diocesan Adoption Agency.
Carolyn is passionate about the achievements of Adoption Matters and the opportunities for developing Foster Care Matters.
Catherine is a practicing solicitor at Anthony Collins Solicitors in Manchester specialising in the commercial and governance aspects of charity law.
Prior to qualification Catherine gained degrees in English Literature, Human Rights and Law and now mentors students aspiring to be lawyers.
Catherine is passionate about children and families charities and spent 6 years as a volunteer supervisor of a child contact centre in Chester before joining the board of Adoption Matters.
As an adopted child herself, Catherine is delighted to be assisting Adoption Matters in realising its vision.
Catherine is an Adoption Social Worker at Adoption Matters. Catherine joined the organisation in April 2021. Before this, Catherine worked for Local Authorities for 10 years in various social work roles, working with children and families and latterly in a fostering team and then an adoption team.
Catherine also sits on an adoption panel. Catherine is very passionate about supporting adoptive parents to be as prepared as possible for the challenges adoption brings, particularly issues around Therapeutic Parenting, identity and contact.
Catherine is married with two children and enjoys singing and yoga in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Adoption Enquiry Advisers
Charlotte is a Social Work Assistant in our Concurrent Planning team.
Claire Dale CfAS Adoption Social Worker About Me I have been a children and families Social Worker for over 25 years and a qualified Play Therapist for over 18 years, working within numerous settings, such as Barnardo's projects, community projects and working within schools. I really value working alongside the multi-skilled and multi-disciplinary team within CfAS. I feel that we contribute and work closely and positively with all of our colleagues across Adoption Matters to try and provide the best possible range of services and support at differing parts of every adopter(s) unique adoption journey. I feel proud to be part of the Post Adoption Support that we provide within CfAS, recognising the joys and challenges of this life long journey. Outside of Work I love going on walks, being in the outdoors, but I especially love going to the beach with my family and friends. I also love reading and watching films. Unfortunately, chocolate is my downfall! What do you love most about what you do? Having worked with children and families who have experienced numerous losses and transitions, I endeavour to work from an Attachment and Trauma informed perspective in all the work that I do with my families. I also approach the Post Adoption Support that I provide from a strengths perspective, recognising the skills, qualities and resilience of children and their adoptive parent(s). I feel that it is a genuine privilege when people share their thoughts, experiences and perspective on their lived experience with me. We all have so much to learn from each other. I feel that there is such a healing power to play. I try to integrate this wherever possible into the commissioned sessions, consultation sessions, webinars and discussions that I have with families, helping children to meet in a moment with their loved ones, in a less resistant part of their brain. To enjoy moments of fun and reciprocal joy is so powerful and crucial in building attunement and connectivity. Close
Claire is an Adoption Social Worker in our Chester team.
Job Titles:
- Marketing and PR Co - Ordinator
Daniel joined Adoption Matters in 2018, following his graduation from the University of Chester with a Sports Journalism Degree. Daniel works closely with our Marketing Manager Jenny on all aspects of marketing, social media and PR functions.
Daniella joined Adoption Matters in January 2020 and is part of our Finance Administration team.
Debby joined Adoption Matters in May 2019, prior to this she spent over 30 years working in Insurance and Risk Management.
Debby manages the Finance Section and also oversees IT and facilities management
Job Titles:
- Concurrent Planning Social Worker
Diane started to work for Adoption Matters in September 2020 in the Concurrent Planning team as a Social Worker.
Outside of work, Diane loves to spend time outdoors with her daughter and puppy on adventures such as camping.
Dianne is our HR Manager and is based at our Chester office.
Yvonne has had a varied career which includes working with the police, the Home Office and most recently as a non-executive director on the Animal Health and Welfare Board for the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
Elaine is an Adoption Social Worker in our Chester team.
Elizabeth has been a qualified social worker since 1996 and has worked as an adoption practitioner since 2013 and is now an Adoption Team Manager. She currently works within our Yorkshire team and is very experienced in the assessment of adopters, as well as in family finding and supporting matches.
Elizabeth is also the lead presenter of preparation courses in the Yorkshire area.
Emily started working for Adoption Matters in May 2020 as one of our Adoption Administrators.
Emma joined Adoption Matters in 2003. Emma is responsible for managing all of our administration team as well as undertaking a wide variety of tasks.
Job Titles:
- Adoption Team Manager
- Member of the Adoption Panel
Fiona started at Adoption Matters in the Summer of 2012 as a Senior Practitioner, but she is now one of our Adoption Team Managers with several lead responsibilities.
Fiona is also a member of the Adoption Panel, which she really enjoys contributing to. Fiona's background is working in safeguarding and family placement.
Foster Care Matters is a not for profit, therapeutic fostering agency launching in early 2024. Foster Care Matters is part of the Adoption Matters family.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Gaynor has over 15 years experience in Business Development roles, previously working in in the Higher Education sector where she secured significant funding for and managed a number of projects, programmes and new initiatives. Gaynor is a member of the Strategic Managers Team and has an active role in developing the agency's Business Plan and Strategy.
Since starting work at Adoption Matters in 2012, Gaynor has adapted her skills for a different sector and the benefit of the agency, successfully bidding for Government funding to support the work, particularly in the areas of Adoption Support and Bespoke Family Finding.
Gaynor is fully involved in the agencies partnership activities and in exploring ways to develop and grow these collaborative ventures. Gaynor also manages the Marketing and Fundraising Team and has overseen developments and improvements in the agency's external communications and customer care, challenging processes and procedures to ensure the best possible service to our families.
Gemma joined Adoption Matters as an Adoption Social Worker in March 2018. Prior to this, Gemma worked for a voluntary organisation as a school social worker and for an Independent Fostering Agency as a supervising social worker.
Gemma has also worked as a social worker for Wakefield and Bradford Local Authorities in the Children and Families' Teams and in the Adoption Team as a Family Finder, she has been qualified for 19 years and has always worked with children and families.
Gemma is a Social Work Assistant based in Blackburn.
Job Titles:
- Representative
- Adoption Social Worker
Gethin worked for DFW Adoption for 8 years before joining Adoption Matters when the agencies merged in 2019. Before that Gethin worked in a Local Authority Adoption team.
Gethin has been an adoptive parent for over 30 years, and an Adoption Social Worker for over 20 years, but continues to get satisfaction in helping new adopters find the joy in becoming parents, often for the first time, and supporting them to provide all the love, nurture and understanding that adopted children need to develop and grow.
Gethin is also a social work representative on panel and enjoys delivering preparation training to new applicants, where he can share a little of his own experience of some of the challenges adoption brings, but also how rewarding becoming an adoptive parent can be.
Graham has over 25 years' experience in both executive and non-executive roles in the voluntary and community sector. For a majority of his career Graham has worked as Chief Executive of a Regional Children's Charity.
In the past few years, Graham's energies have been spent on helping establish a not for profit fostering agency as the charity he leads repositions to more substantially focus on improving the lives of children who can't be taken care of by parents or other family members.
Hazell qualified as a Social Worker in 2014 and has previously worked in Safeguarding, but she is now part of our domestic adoption team as an Adoption Social Worker. Hazell joined Adoption Matters in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Concurrent Planning Social Worker
Helen is a Social Worker in our Concurrent Planning Team. Helen joined Adoption Matters in March 2017. Prior to working for Adoption Matters, Helen worked in a Local Authority as a Family Finder for an Adoption team and as a Social Worker in a Children with Disabilities team for a different Local Authority.
Before qualifying in 2008, Helen worked and volunteered with older people and children and adults with disabilities.
Outside of work Helen is married with two lovely girls, she loves reading, doing puzzles, musicals and spa days. On Helen's bucket list is to visit every European capital city and to read the top 100 books! Helen also loves animals and has a grumpy cat, but one day she would love to have a chow chow!
Helen is passionate about adoption, and has personal experience.
Job Titles:
- Senior Occupational Therapist
Job Titles:
- Social Worker
- Adoption Team Manager
Irene has been a Social Worker for many years, qualifying in 2004. Irene worked in Child Protection for 2 years before moving to the adoption service in a Local Authority, where she stayed for 5 years.
After completing the Child Care Award in 2011, Irene became a Senior Practitioner at DFW Adoption. In 2014, she became a Team Manager.
Irene is also the Panel Advisor for the Durham Adoption Panel and she became a member of the Social Work Management Team following the merger of DFW Adoption and Adoption Matters on 01 March 2019.
Job Titles:
- Senior Administration Supervisor
Jackie has been part of the Adoption Matters team since 2014. Jackie is one of our Administration Team Supervisors.
Jacqui has a Diploma and an MA in Social work has worked with children and families for over 20 years. Since 2004, Jacqui has worked specifically in adoption, recruiting, assessing and supporting adoptive families; and family finding for children who need adoptive families.
Prior to joining Adoption Matters in 2015, Jacqui managed a Local Authority Adoption team. Jacqui is the Panel Adviser for our Chester Panel and as one of the Head of Services' for our mainstream adoption services, she oversees social work practice in the South of the Agency's coverage which includes Wirral, Cheshire, South Manchester, Staffordshire, Shropshire and Wales.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Senior Sales Consultant at a FTSE 250 IT Services Firm
Jamie is a senior sales consultant at a FTSE 250 IT services firm, and has a degree in Politics and Sociology from the University of Warwick.
Jamie was adopted through Adoption Matters and is therefore extremely passionate about the success of the charity.
Jan is based in the Durham office and she previously worked for DFW Adoption before they merged with Adoption Matters. Jan was on the Business Administration Team for 18 years, but she is now a Social Work Assistant.
Jan's main role is helping adopted adults access their birth records, however working alongside their allocated Social Worker, she also helps prospective adopters to get through the first stage of the adoption process.
In addition to this, Jan helps children already in the family to prepare to welcome a new family member through adoption.
Jayne joined Adoption Matters in May 2023. Jayne is the Adoption Administrator for the Therapy Service.
Jenny is a Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) qualified marketing professional with over 25 years experience working in marketing roles in both the private and public sector. Passionate about using marketing skills to make a difference to vulnerable children's lives, Jenny worked within Local Authority fostering, adoption services and corporate marketing/PR teams for over 14 years before joining Adoption Matters in January 2015. Jenny is responsible for all marketing, communication and PR functions for both Adoption Matters and the soon to be launched, Foster Care Matters.
Joanna is one of our Adoption Enquiry Advisers. Joanna handles all of our adoption enquiries, speaking to lots of individuals and couples who are interested in adoption or simply just have some queries.
Joanna, together with her colleague Charlotte, also host and coordinates all of our online adoption events. If you are enquiring with us, you are sure to speak to either Joanna or Charlotte.
Job Titles:
- Minute Taker and Administrator
Jo joined Adoption Matters in June 2023. Jo works as a Minute Taker and Administrator in the Business and Development Section.
Job Titles:
- Practice Development Manager
Joanne is our Practice Development Manager.
Joanne qualified as a Social Worker in 1997, initially working within Child Protection, before moving to work in Fostering and Adoption in 2001.
Joining Adoption Matters in 2015, Joanne has had experience of many aspects of fostering and adoption. This includes three years as a Fostering Panel Member and as an Independent Chair of Fostering Annual Review Panel.
Joanne has experience in both fields in recruitment and assessment, supporting placements, delivering training and supporting adoptees accessing their adoption records. She has specialised in adoption since 2012 and is a Preparation Training Group Leader.
Joe is Registered Nurse who now works at the University of Chester following a 26 year career in the NHS. An adoptive parent of two girls for which he is eternally grateful to Adoption Matters.
Job Titles:
- Concurrent Planning Social Worker
John is a Social Worker in our Concurrent Planning team.
Job Titles:
- Concurrent Planning Team Manager
Julie qualified as a Social Worker in 1999 and has over 20 years experience of children and families social work ranging from Safeguarding, Family Support and Adoption.
Julie has prior experience of Concurrent Planning; having previously been employed by Manchester Adoption Society within the Goodman Team (Concurrent Planning).
Julie has always been passionate about Concurrent Planning and achieving Early Permanence for children and as a result joined the agency to work within the Concurrent Planning Service in January 2015, she became a Concurrent Planning Team Manager in March 2016.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Since Julie completed her Masters degree in Social Work in 2007, she has worked in the field of Children's Services. Julie's roles have included working in Safeguarding, Children with Disabilities and in a Therapeutic Residential Unit.
Julie has been privileged to have worked in the area of adoption since 2013 and her present role is a Senior Adoption Social Worker in the Blackburn team.
Job Titles:
- Finance and Business Service Manager
Karen joined Adoption Matters in 2010. Karen is part of the Strategic Management Team and is also responsible for the Business Section of the organisation which includes Finance, HR, adoption admin and IT.
Karen is currently in the process of completing her CIMA qualification.
Job Titles:
- Fostering Service Manager
Karen, a fully qualified social worker, joined our not-for-profit fostering agency, Foster Care Matters as our Fostering Service Manager in November 2023.
Before joining us, Karen gained nearly 20 years of experience working in fostering from recruiting, assessing and supervising foster parents, managing teams and leading a fostering agency as Head of Service/Registered Manager. Prior to her career in fostering, Karen also worked in local authority children and family social work positions. Karen will be pivotal in developing, launching and managing our new, not for profit, therapeutic fostering agency in 2024.
Kate is an Adoption Social Worker in our Durham team.
Job Titles:
- Administrator for Adoption Matters Centre for Adoption Support
- Adoption Administrator
Kathryn is an administrator for Adoption Matters Centre for Adoption Support. Kathryn has been supporting the team since April 2015. Kathryn holds a NVQ Level 4 in Business Management and enjoys creative writing, camping and spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Kelly is a Senior Adoption Social Worker in our Blackburn team.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Practitioner
Lesley is one of our Adoption Practitioners in our Chester team.
Job Titles:
- CfAS Senior Post Adoption Social Worker
- Senior Post Adoption Social Worker
Lisa works within our Manchester team, she qualified as a Social Worker in 2007 and has previously worked in Safeguarding and more recently in Assessing and Supporting Foster Carers.
Lisa joined Adoption Matters in April 2021.
Job Titles:
- Payroll and Finance Administrator
Lisa runs the monthly payroll for all of the staff here at Adoption Matters. Lisa also provides financial and administrative support for our Therapy Service.
Lynn has over 30 years' vast experience working in Financial Services, specialising in the not for profit sector.
Lynn has a maths degree and is a chartered management accountant holding both the ACMA and CGMA credentials
Job Titles:
- Senior Administration Supervisor
Lynn is part of our Administration Team, as one of our Administration Team Supervisors. Lynn joined the team in 2014.
Michelle is an Adoption Social Worker from Durham. Michelle joined Adoption Matters in March 2021.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Lead Therapy Service
Nadine manages and supervises our Sessional Therapists, as well as providing consultation to Local Authorities. Nadine is a Clinical Psychologist with over 30 years experience of working with children, young people and their families and joined the agency in 2014.
Prior to that she was the Clinical Lead for the Therapeutic Foster Care team on the Wirral. Previous posts included work with adopted children and their families; CAMHS Services and Forensic Services.
Nikky joined Adoption Matters in 2014 and has been working as a Social Work Assistant since 2018.
Nikky works with prospective adopters through Stage 1 and also completes our direct work (PCFA) with birth/adopted children of families wishing to adopt during Stage 2, in order to be a voice for the child(ren).
Norman is a qualified social worker whose career in social work began in 1979.
Norman joined Adoption Matters in 1985, and as Chief Executive led the agency through significant growth and success until he retired at the end of 2022.
Job Titles:
- CfAS Senior Post Adoption Social Worker
- Senior Post Adoption Social Worker
Bishop Paul was educated at Kingston Grammar School and received a BA in English and history with honours from Nottingham University in 1977. Bishop Paul became the Bishop of Durham in the Diocese of Durham in January 2014. Bishop Paul was previously Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham.
Bishop Paul also acts as an "Advocate for Children" amongst the bishops of the Church of England and regularly visits Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.
Bishop Paul is married to Rosemary and they have four grown-up children (Caroline, David, Andrew and Sarah).
Paul has worked in the field of children's services since 1995. Paul qualified as a Social Worker in 1999 and following a short ‘apprenticeship' in child protection, moved to work in adoption.
Paul worked as a Social Worker and manager in a number of Local Authority Adoption teams before joining Adoption Matters in early 2012. Paul has worked with both adopters and children requiring adoptive placements extensively during this time.
Paul manages the teams covering an area from Warrington/Wigan across to Yorkshire and the North East region. Paul is a Panel Adviser to the Blackburn and Durham adoption panels, and the lead for the agency's post qualifying training programme.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Rachael retrained as a Social Worker in 2007 and became a qualified Social Worker in 2010.
Rachael has experience of working in Safeguarding and Fostering and Adoption. She has been working within adoption since 2012 and has a experience in recruitment of adopters, assessment, family finding and Early Permanence.
Impressively, Rachael won Social Worker of the Year in 2017 after being nominated by adopters who she had previously worked with.
Job Titles:
- CfAS Senior Adoption Social Worker
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Rashda Kholwadia CfAS Senior Adoption Social Worker About Me I began working within the field of Post Adoption in 2005. I joined CfAS in April 2018 because of it's fabulous reputation in adoption support. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I have three beautiful daughters, full of energy, who like to keep me on my toes!! I enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, walking and often getting lost in some fields as my children and husband haven't noticed me lagging behind!!! I love to cook and sew. I thoroughly enjoyed making my children's clothes when they were younger. What do you love most about what you do? I love meeting people and learning, everyone is so different and knowledgeable. It is so nice to work within adoption to see the commitment families have and the determination parent(s) have in wanting the best possible outcome for their children, who have often come from a very difficult background. Prior to working at CfAS, I worked in a Local Authority and was fortunate enough to support all those affected by adoption from birth parents, birth grandparents to adopters and last, but by no means the least, the children. Close
Ravi is a consultant paediatric ENT surgeon at the Sheffield Children's Hospital. He is currently the Clinical Lead for Children's Surgery and Anaesthesia for South Yorkshire and Bassett Law ICS.
Ravi is also the Hon Sec to the British Association for Paediatric Otorhinolaryngology. Ravi is married to Fiona and they have 2 gorgeous children, Daisy and Noah.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Administrator
Rebecca (known as Becca) is a Senior Adoption Administrator at Adoption Matters. Becca joined Adoption Matters in 2014.
Rev Anita is an Anglican Priest based currently at Hope Family Church in Washington Tyne and Wear.
Prior to ordination, Anita's background was in management, particularly Administration and Human Resources in the charitable sector.
Anita has a real heart for young people - supporting each to realise their own individual potential.
Rhiannon is a Social Work Assistant and is based at our Hale office. Rhiannon joined Adoption Matters in September 2022.
Job Titles:
- CfAS Senior Adoption Social Worker
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Ruth is a Senior Adoption Social Worker in the Yorkshire and Humber Team, but she previously worked within our Concurrent Planning service for a year. Ruth joined Adoption Matters in July 2018.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Ruth joined Adoption Matters in 2012 after working in a Local Authority adoption team.
Prior to this, Ruth worked in a Care Management team for the same Local Authority. Ruth is a Senior Adoption Social Worker and works in the areas of Chester, Merseyside and North Wales.
Ruth is also an adopter of 3 children.
Sally joined the agency in April 1982 and is one of our Social Work Assistants in our Chester team.
Sally is an Adoption Social Worker based at our Leeds office. Sally joined Adoption Matters in September 2021.
Sally has been a qualified Social Worker since 1994, specialising in the area of adoption for over 20 years.
Sally is the Team Manager for the Blackburn team and she is also a member of the Adoption Panel. As well as this, Sally is the co-ordinator of the agency's Intercountry Adoption service.
Sally is also the Chair of Blackburn with Darwen Council Fostering Panel.
Job Titles:
- CfAS Senior Adoption Social Worker
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Job Titles:
- Administration Supervisor
Sarah joined Adoption Matters in 2017. Sarah is a Senior Administrator for the Centre for Adoption Support who provides a wide range of support for families. Simultaneously, Sarah works for the Post Adoption service which supports adopted adults and their birth relatives to access their historical records and facilitates an intermediary service.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Sarah is a Senior Adoption Social Worker and is based at our Chester office.
Job Titles:
- Diocese of Liverpool Chancellor
Bishop Mark was ordained deacon in Chester Cathedral and served his title at St Mary's, Upton, on the Wirral, before moving to Doncaster as Vicar of St Mary's and thence to Holy Trinity, Ripon, where he also served as Area Dean and as an army chaplain.
Bishop Mark was also an honorary canon of Durham Cathedral until his appointment to Berwick in 2016, and is a member of the Ministry Council.
Sir Mark Hedley is a former barrister and High Court Judge who made legal history in 2010 by being the first judge to allow journalists into the Court of Protection.
Sir Mark was involved in adoption issues for more than 40 years and his own family also both fostered and adopted.
Sir Mark is also the Diocese of Liverpool Chancellor, a role he has had since 2002. He retired from his long legal career in 2013 and we are delighted that he brings his wealth of experience to Adoption Matters as our charity Patron.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Sue joined Adoption Matters in July 2017 and is based at our Stoke-on-Trent office as a Senior Adoption Social Worker. However, Sue is classed as part of our Manchester team.
Sue has worked in Fostering and Adoption Teams in a number of Local Authorities across the North West for over 30 years. Sue's main role involves preparation and assessment of prospective adopters, family finding and early support of placements.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- Accountant With the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Susy is a qualified Accountant with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and worked in practice before joining Adoption Matters in 2004.
Susy has played a pivotal role in Adoption Matters growth and success working closely alongside our former CEO Norman Goodwin, CBE, in her leadership role as Finance and Operations Director.
Susy was appointed as Chief Executive late 2021, officially starting the role on 1 January 2022.
Tracy is the Adoption Team Manager of our Yorkshire team.
Job Titles:
- Senior Adoption Social Worker
Victoria is a Senior Adoption Social Worker based in Blackburn.