Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Training
Timeline
Generic

Anne-Marie Fern

Heysham,Lancashire

Summary

A experienced Social,Worker who is confident in a wide range of strength based social work assessment. Specialises in the impact of substance misuse in parenting capacity. Demonstrates exceptional cultural competence, having worked extensively in the multi-cultural city of Birmingham. A reflective practitioner who utilises supervision and training to continually improve practice.

Overview

28
28
years of professional experience

Work history

Supervising Social Worker

Fostering ltd
Preston, Lancashire
11.2024 - 06.2025

- Supervision of Foster Carers including direct work with the carer's own children and the children in their care.

- Multi Agency working with Local Authorities, Health Services, Education and other key professionals.

- Matching children to families.

- Carrying out Form F assessments, supporting & advising applicants from initial enquiries to Panel & beyond.

CIOC Social Worker

Wigan LA
Wigan, Greater Manchester
10.2022 - 11.2024
  • Building trusting relationships with children & young people in residential & foster care, gathering their voice & lived experience.
  • Liaising with carers, parents, & professionals.
  • Convening &/or attending Looked After Reviews, Care Planning, PEPs, Transitions, Permanence Panels, and all other necessary meetings.
  • Providing comprehensive assessments & reports including Child and Family Assessments, Pathways & Permanence Panels.

Child Protection Social Worker

Local Authority.
, Birmingham & Lancashire
12.2014 - 10.2022
  • Birmingham Children's Trust 2014-2019; Lancashire 2019-2020, Blackburn with Darwen 2020- 2022
  • Proficient in Strengthening Families; Risk Sensible; & Systemic Models.
  • Networked with Police, Health & Education to complete Section 47 Assessments & other initial assessments within statutory timescales
  • Supported children in Child Protection Medicals & ABE Interviews
  • Convened & attended Initial Child Protection Case Conferences, Core Groups; CIN meetings; CLA meetings etc
  • Represented the Local Authority in Court, in person and in writing, for EPO; ICO; Family Court proceedings; Force Marriage Orders etc
  • Provided empathetic support to children and families in proceedings.
  • Expertise in substance misuse, Sexual Exploitation, Child Criminal Exploitation, unaccompanied asylum seekers, Female Genital Mutilation, Forced marriage, trafficking, & radicalisation.

Team Manager

Birmingham Substance Misuse Services
Birmingham, UK
10.2002 - 12.2014
  • Swanswell Charitable Trust (2002-2004) Birmingham & Solihull NHS Mental Health Trust (2004-2014)
  • Managed a budget of up to £1,000,000 to include clinical & administrative staffing, medicines, & resources
  • Re-designed services, & made bid for new & existing contracts within a changing economic climate
  • Recruited a diverse staff team & designed & delivered training & induction to ensure quality services.
  • Ensured stringent risk management of services & safeguarding of service users and their children
  • Compiled & analysed data to ensure that key performance indicators and targets were met
  • Delivered presentations to professionals and the wider community regarding our services

Social Worker

Youth Justice Service
Walsall, West Midlands
11.1997 - 01.2002
  • Youth Offending Team 1997-2000; HMP & YOI Substance Misuse Worker 2000; Community Youth Justice Substance Misuse Worker 2000-2002.
  • Completed Pre-Sentence reports & ensured the Court were provided with the resources to sentence safely & with proportionality.
  • Provided holistic supervision & support to young people involved in offending behaviour
  • Worked to National Standards for the Supervision of Offenders.
  • Provided specialist advice to young people involved in substance misuse, both in custody and in the community

Education

Certificate in Management of Health & Social Care - Management

De Montfort University

Dip SW - Probation Pathway

University of Central England

Cert Ed - Teaching

Newman College - Birmingham University

GCEs - 8 O levels including Maths & English & 3 A levels

St Anne's Catholic School & Hill College.

Practice Educator - Social Work

UCLAN

Skills

  • Excellent Assessment skills in a wide range of areas from Safeguarding (S17 & 47) to Court proceedings (S37) to Fostering and Adoption assessment (Form F)
  • A varied career has provided me with an in depth understanding of the reasons children come into the care of the Local Authority and the impact of trauma and neglect
  • I have extensive experience of working with people from a wide range of races, religions and cultures, including use of interpreters
  • I have excellent communication skills with people at all levels both in person and in writing
  • I am comfortable with modern methods of working with IT & video conferencing


Training

  • September 2020 - Graded Care Profile - NSPCC
  • April 2021 - Capacity to protect/Risk of sexual harm - BWD in House Training.
  • July 2023 - Managing allegations and monitoring Standards of Care in Foster Care - Coram Baaf
  • July 2023 - Making Good Adoption Assessments - Coram Baaf
  • August 2023 - Supervising Social Workers: Their Roles and Responsibilities - Coram Baaf.

Timeline

Supervising Social Worker

Fostering ltd
11.2024 - 06.2025

CIOC Social Worker

Wigan LA
10.2022 - 11.2024

Child Protection Social Worker

Local Authority.
12.2014 - 10.2022

Team Manager

Birmingham Substance Misuse Services
10.2002 - 12.2014

Social Worker

Youth Justice Service
11.1997 - 01.2002

Certificate in Management of Health & Social Care - Management

De Montfort University

Dip SW - Probation Pathway

University of Central England

Cert Ed - Teaching

Newman College - Birmingham University

GCEs - 8 O levels including Maths & English & 3 A levels

St Anne's Catholic School & Hill College.

Practice Educator - Social Work

UCLAN
Anne-Marie Fern