The Specialist Advisor Team:
The team offers specialist consultation and advice to support the provision of high-quality services in children’s residential and educational settings, particularly to those children and young people, with more complex needs. The team may also provide advice to adult services in some circumstances
Lead Specialist Advisor & Police Liaison Specialist:
Steve Challinor served as a police officer for more than 30 years and has extensive experience as a detective sergeant in the specialist areas of CID, safeguarding, child protection and in major crime investigation. Post retirement from the police, he performed the role of police missing person advisor before joining Keys Group in his current role.
Specialist Advisor – Self Injurious Behaviour:
Helen Stewart has many years’ experience as a registered children’s home manager, supporting young people with the most complex issues including risks around self-injury. Her considerable knowledge and experience in dealing with self-injurious behaviour, is used to support Keys residential children’s services and schools, to manage this type of risk effectively.
Specialist Advisor – Substance misuse:
Fran Gracie is a qualified Counsellor and Systemic Family Therapist and has worked managerially in substance misuse services for over 20 years. Fran provides information, advice, support and guidance to Keys residential children’s services and schools, including current information about drug trends and risks. Fran supports the formulation and application of effective risk management plans.
Specialist Advisor – Exploitation:
Katie Proudman has extensive experience in the fields of child sexual exploitation, criminal/county lines exploitation, child trafficking and gangs. Katie provides advice and support to Keys children’s residential services and education, particularly in respect of young people at high risk of exploitation and young people who have been recently exploited by county lines organised crime groups.
Specialist Advisor – Harmful Sexual Behaviour:
Gayle Bradbury is a qualified social worker, who has managed local authority Youth Offending Service and who has specialist knowledge and experience in respect of young people who have displayed concerning or harmful sexual behaviour. She supports managers and staff teams to understand risk and to formulate plans, which help a young person to develop positively and safely.