Meet the team

Hello

My name is Teresa. I joined Havering Care Resources Service in October 2021. I am a Social Worker by qualification and have worked in various local Authorities in and around London for the past 22years. I have been working as a manager in Social Work for nearly 14 years and I enjoy what I do. I have a strong belief in collaborative working as it is my view that ….”when we pull together .. we win”

Hi my name is Dean Gordon, Team Manager in the Leaving Care Team and Manager of The Cocoon.  I have been working with young people and young adults for over 30’s years.  This has included settings such as; Residential Care, Fostering, Child Protection and Leaving Care. 

Working with staff and Young Adults at The Cocoon continues to be an honour and special challenge for me.  For as the name suggests; The Cocoon is a place where our young adults can be supported to realise their potential and emerge like hidden butterflies.  Our aim is that every young adult is able to spread their wings and transcend the limitations imposed upon them.

My name is Kemi Akosile and I am a Team Manager and Practice Educator in the Leaving Care Team.  I have a B.Sc. degree in Psychology and a MA in Social Work.  I have been a Social Worker for over 10 years and I have extensive experience in Court work, child protection, children in need and looked after child care cases. I enjoy working with children and their families and young adults in helping support them to reach their full potential in life.  My current job role includes supporting staff members to promote the rights and wellbeing of Havering young adults and to help develop their independent living skills to ensure that they are able to live happy and well-adjusted lives within the community.

In my spare time, I enjoy socialising with my family and friends, including going out to eat and travelling.  My past time favourite was playing musical instruments at my local Saturday music school where I learnt to play the Double Base, Steelpan and Piano.  I used to play the Piano for my church, so one of my goals is to get back into playing the piano……hopefully one day soon.

Hello my name is Sean Kelly and I’m a Young Person’s Advisor in the Leaving Care Team.  I have been in this role for 2 years.  Prior to this I worked for 3 years in the Fostering Team as a Recruitment Officer.   I enjoy working with our young people and families as it gives me the opportunity to learn from them.  I also enjoy working with them as it gives me the opportunity to offer and advice and guidance on a range on areas such as employment, education, housing and relationships.

In my spare time I enjoy creating healthy meals and I enjoy keep fit and weight lifting.  I have recently re-kindled a passion for knitting which my grandparents taught me.  I’m not good at following patterns but I can knit squares and make them into blankets.

Name: Daniel Holmes

Role: Pathway Co-Ordinator specialising in UASC & Immigration issues

How long in role? Just over a year

Previous experience: I have previously been a YPA in the Leaving Care Team from 2013, prior to that I have been a Family Support Worker, Teaching Assistant in a special educational needs school and Outreach Worker for Children with disabilities in the community. I originally studied Psychology and Social Anthropology at university which left me interested in learning about other cultures.

What do you enjoy about the role? The people! We have a great opportunity to get to know people and support them in their journeys in to independence.

Hobbies: a long time ago I learned to firebreathe I haven’t done it for years but still have my old fire staff! I have designed tattoos for myself and friends and a few years ago took up whittling.

I am a Pathway Co-Ordinator within the Leaving Care Team and I also lead on Education, Employment and Training (EET). Before joining the team I worked with young people of all ages and have experience in schools, youth centres and preparing young people for higher education, apprenticeships or work. Here at the Leaving Care Team I work with Nancy to plan and deliver various workshops, events and schemes for our Care Leavers. We have links with colleges, universities, DWP and training centres, to make sure our young people can access a wide range of resources and opportunities. As an EET specialist I also offer information, advice and guidance to all members of the Leaving Care Team and regularly update on available apprenticeships and opportunities for our young people.

I have worked in Havering since 2012 in various roles but consistently with the Leaving Care Service. I feel passionate about working with the adolescents and young adults that access this service and I am fortunate to have been able to do this for many years.

My current role is as a Systemic Family Therapist working in both the Leaving Care and Early Help service. Working across two different areas of service enables me to provide both family and individual interventions, working with people via a strengths based approach to address any concerns in the context of their relationships, whether that’s relationship to one’s self, to others or to wider social networks. Part of the systemic approach means I am interested in language and the way we form narratives/beliefs about ourselves or how others form narratives/beliefs about us. These narratives or beliefs can shape our identity and can at times be helpful or unhelpful and this is something we work out together. I believe that the problem is the problem and not the person and I believe in working alongside rather than doing to and it is with this approach that we use your strengths and expertise to create the changes you want to see.

I absolutely love my job and I feel privileged to work alongside and support my colleagues with interventions, as well as the wonderful families, children and young adults of Havering.  I am passionate about social justice and empowering others to achieve and create positive changes that enhance their lives and I am lucky enough to have worked with many great people, young adults and families that have inspired and shaped my practice. I’m pretty much what you see is what you get and outside of work I am also very much a people person and enjoy socialising, having fun, laughing, dancing, going to the cinema, nature walks and chilling on the sofa watching too much Netflix!

On a Friday I am based at the Cocoon where you can pop in should you feel that you want to access therapeutic support or feel free just to come for a chat and to enjoy the space. For more regular systemic session please talk with your allocated worker who can make a referral to me.

I am Deborah Broad, preferred name Debbie or Debs, and I am a Senior Young Persons Advisor.

I have 27 years Local Government experience, 15 years of which have been in The Leaving Care Service in Havering.  I have a sound working knowledge of the Children’s Act 1989 / Leaving Care Act 2000 and a good understanding and awareness of the issues faced by young people who have been accommodated/looked after and the social care issues which may manifest due to their life experiences and time spent in care. The Leaving Care Act focuses on the Local Authorities duty to advise, assist and befriend young people with a view to promoting their welfare when they are no longer looked after.

My position within Leaving Care has highlighted to me just how vulnerable and deserving young care leavers are. Not only have some of these young people never experienced a stable family life or positive parenting, they also have no extended family to turn to in times of need or distress.

I pride myself on being there for these vulnerable adults and assisting into the secure and successful futures they deserve.

My name is Nancy Adande, young person’s advisor

I enjoy my role as a YPA because I am very passionate to make a positive difference and impact to the lives of our care leavers. Most particularly, I enjoyed my co-leading area of EET because this is an area that some of our young adults have challenges in achieving the best outcome.  I believe that it is not just about supporting young adults to reach independence, but also to equip them with skills and confidence that will enable them to use their intellectual and natural gifts effectively in society within EET context. Therefore, I am always grateful to be able support young adults to achieve their goals in either education, training or employment.   

Hi my name is Rebecca Adewole-Ogutuga. A young person’s advisor in the leaving care team. I joined leaving care in July 2020. I can honestly say it is a great team and the job in itself is very rewarding. I enjoy helping people and making a change in the lives of our young people. It is our duty to behave as a corporate parent for our young people for however long they require it. It is also our duty to promote independence and push them to achieve their full potential.

My name is Karen Wright and I’ve been working directly with Young People for about 3 years. 

I believe the Young are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to remind them how it SHOULD be!

If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn?

My outside interest is Performing Arts!!!  Allowing me to be anyone I want to be!

WE SEE YOU!

My name is Jean Blake, and I have worked with young people for over 22 years.I am passionate about my work and I am also dedicated.  I believe that everyone can achieve, even if it’s baking a cake, cooking, reading or writing.

So many obstacles can affect young people in Leaving Care, either because of absent parents, neglect, drugs or abuse, and my role isn’t to fix what has already taken place, it is to prepare you for independent living within a pathway plan, which is geared around your wishes and needs.

It is important to try and discuss and get through those negative historical problems, and I will support young people to overcome these challenges, through Mental Health Support, Therapy or just being there for them to talk through their problems.