Michelle has 18 years’ experience as a qualified social worker within children’s services, including 12 years in leadership roles. She currently works as a Senior Manager at Essex County Council, leading front-line child protection and children with disabilities services, overseeing more than 800 cases and 60 staff. She is the operational lead for child sexual exploitation across the county and has contributed to peer reviews and DfE-led diagnostic reviews to support best practice development.
Her career began in frontline child protection. She completed research in New Zealand on family group conferencing and has established new services, including a crisis intervention model to prevent children entering care. She has received a team award for her work in family group conferencing and was shortlisted for Team Manager of the Year in the 2013 National Social Work Awards. She has also completed systemic practice and supervision training with the Institute of Family Therapy and is passionate about delivering safe, consistent, and partnership-based services for children and families.