Helen Dixon
Southport,Merseyside
Summary
Senior operational leader with extensive experience working with children and families in children's residential services and Local Authority Family Help, experienced in safeguarding, quality assurance, workforce development and service improvement. Currently providing day-to-day operational oversight across children's homes, including leadership continuity during the prolonged absence of a Registered Manager, ensuring safe practice, regulatory compliance and effective decision-making.
Experienced in supporting homes through Ofsted inspection activity, safeguarding investigations, regulatory monitoring, policy development and organisational governance. Skilled in leading service improvement, embedding quality assurance systems and developing positive cultures that promote accountability, learning and reflective practice.
Over the past 10 months, I have delivered reflective team meetings, strengths-based supervision and practice development sessions for Deputies and staff teams, supporting professional growth, improving accountability and promoting trauma-informed care. I am passionate about developing confident, skilled practitioners and creating environments where children and young people can thrive.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Operations Manager
Holistic Support Services
01.2026 - Current
- Provide day-to-day operational oversight of residential services.
- Support the Responsible Individual with governance, quality assurance and compliance monitoring.
- Develop and implement organisational policies, procedures and governance systems.
- Ensure leadership continuity in absence of Registered Manager, maintaining operational stability and team morale.
- Lead safeguarding investigations and coordinate multi-agency responses.
- Oversee placement matching, referrals and risk assessment processes.
- Lead safer recruitment, workforce planning and performance management activity.
- Support preparation for Ofsted inspections, audits and regulatory visits.
- Deliver reflective, strengths-based supervision to Deputy Managers and residential childcare staff.
- Facilitate reflective team meetings focused on learning, accountability and practice development.
- Deliver trauma-informed training and workforce development initiatives.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with commissioners, local authorities and external professionals.
- Conducted regular evaluations of staff performance to identify strengths and areas for improvement. and developed improvement plans.
- Reviewed and revised operational policies, ensuring alignment with best practices and regulatory requirements to uphold quality standards.
Parenting Co-Ordinator
Trafford Borough Council
10.2024 - 01.2026
- Implemented and coordinated the regular delivery of evidence-based parenting programmes, improving outcomes for children and young people.
- Delivered fortnightly 1:1 and group supervision for parenting practitioners.
- Led quality assurance processes and practitioner consultations to maintain high standards of service delivery and retention of parenting group leaders.
- Managed parenting group waitlists to maintain commitment and engagement of parents, assessing suitability for preferred interventions and escalating any cases where risks had increased during the wait.
- Developed a borough-wide universal Family Help support model to ensure timely support for families across Trafford.
- Collaborated with commissioners, sharing expertise in parenting support and evidence-based programmes to meet KPIs and streamline service provision.
- Led advertising, promotion, and recruitment of local volunteer parents for training to deliver peer-led community parenting groups, enhancing community engagement.
- Maintained oversight of practice delivery, monitoring performance and using observational reports to develop practise.
- Collaborated with the Head of Early Years to design and launch two continuous provision early years spaces as part of the Family Hub initiative to develop meaningful sessions for the 1001 critical days strategy.
Residential Childcare Worker
Holistic Health Services
05.2024 - 01.2026
- Supported young people in maintaining healthy routines by implementing agreed boundaries and managing expectations of care and support, fostering a stable environment.
- Supported family contact sessions between young people and their family members at the family home or within other settings, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the young person throughout.
- Recorded interactions and observations with young people objectively, using behavioural descriptions and direct quotes to ensure accurate information sharing and enhance communication.
- Applied trauma-informed practices to de-escalate challenging behaviours through empathy and active listening, facilitating smoother transitions during emotionally charged situations.
- Maintained professional boundaries and upheld safeguarding protocols to protect the wellbeing of all participants.
Parenting Practitioner and Hub Lead
Young Person's Advisory Service
02.2021 - 10.2024
- Manage a dynamic caseload of 18-22 families, conducting thorough needs assessments and delivering tailored, goal-oriented interventions
- Provide information, advice, and guidance to parents and carers, making internal and external referrals to promote positive outcomes
- Collaborate with community agencies to maintain up-to-date service knowledge, expand referral pathways, and strengthen partnership networks
- Facilitate multiagency working platforms, ensuring effective communication between professionals and families to meet shared goals
- Support families in navigating services including education, social care, and voluntary sector support, managing expectations and reducing risk
- Lead and co-facilitate evidence-based parenting programmes (group and 1:1), focusing on behaviour management, mental health, and resilience
- Conduct assessments for children with SEMH and behavioural difficulties, contributing to and leading Early Help Assessments (EHATs)
- Liaise with professionals across health, education, social care, YOT, and targeted services to promote family cohesion and parental competencies
- Maintain accurate records using the IAPTUS system and administer Routine Outcome Measures to track progress
- Attend regular clinical supervision and apply reflective practice to manage cases effectively and respond to safeguarding concerns
Domestic cleaning
Time for you
01.2015 - 06.2018
- Providing home cleaning services to households within prestigious areas of Southport and Birkdale on a part time basis.
Residential Family Support Worker and Family Keyworker
Amber Family Ltd
04.2015 - 09.2017
- Delivered trauma-informed support to families undergoing residential assessment, conducting continual observations and documenting parenting capacity in line with care plans and risk assessments
- Facilitated keyworker meetings to monitor progress, set goals, and address concerns collaboratively with families
- Communicated effectively with families and external professionals, preparing accessible, factual reports tailored to individual care plans, with consideration to parent learning needs and cognitive functioning
- Planned and delivered informal educational sessions on topics such as domestic abuse, child development, and anxiety management
- Supported families in developing healthy routines, budgeting skills, and meal planning to promote long-term wellbeing
- Liaised with multiagency professionals to ensure holistic support and maintained accurate updates in line with assessment progress
- Assisted families in preparing for reintegration into the community, co-developing safety and support plans for sustainable transitions
- Created a comprehensive Health & Safety inventory for staff to ensure building and equipment maintenance
- Chaired house meetings and led group sessions on managing anxiety, receiving consistently positive feedback and strengthening therapeutic relationships
Administration assistant
Transpay Ltd
02.2015 - 05.2017
- Key holder
- Managing sensitive public and company financial information
- Processing cheque guarantee applications for large retail stores
- Part time
Residential Childcare Worker
New Horizons Ltd
07.2016 - 03.2017
- Provided day-to-day support to teenagers in residential care, promoting engagement in education, homework, and life skills to build confidence and self-esteem
- Working in a way that focused on emotional regulation and communication through active listening and positive role modelling
- Supported young people in planning meals in ways which promote healthy lifestyle choices
- Supervised family contact sessions, ensuring safe and meaningful interactions
- Encouraged participation in extracurricular activities to foster social development and wellbeing
- Coached practical life skills including financial literacy, budgeting, appointment management, and home maintenance
- Collaborated with young people to develop personalised, goal-based plans for transitioning to independent living, advocating for their needs throughout the process
Agency support worker
24/7 Professional Health
02.2015 - 04.2015
- Being on call as and when required to attend shift work, often at late notice, within several residential social care facilities in Merseyside
Residential Childcare worker
Clumber Lodge
06.2010 - 12.2014
- Encouraging the young people to develop individual interests and support them to seek out opportunities to achieve
- Safeguarding the young people within the setting and in the community
- I achieved and maintained positive and trusting relationships with the young people by providing firm, consistent and fair boundaries in respect of their behaviour and applying appropriate and measured sanctions with the input of the young person(s)
- Promoted the development of a healthy lifestyle through direct group and 1:1 cooking sessions
- Organised and participated in outdoor group activities for the young people
- Ensure positive role modelling and show through practical work positive life skills
- Providing full written reports daily, weekly and Court Reports in support of parenting capacity evidence
- Trusted to complete high-level administrative tasks for OFSTED inspections, external professionals, and court proceedings; regularly prepared reports on behalf of colleagues and managers using advanced ICT skills
- Nugent Care
Administrator
Byrne & Co. Solicitors
Southport
04.2010 - 07.2010
- First point of contact for all Clients and respective companies
- Opening new/Closing completed files
- Archiving
- General Adhoc duties
Receptionist and Administrator
EEC Home Security
Southport
08.2008 - 04.2010
- First point of contact for all Clients and customers both face to face and on the telephone
- Switchboard Operation(on average 150-200 per day)
- Customer Service
Business Administrator
M. Forshaw Building Contractors
Southport
01.2002 - 10.2008
- Working part time, I was the sole administrator of the business, in control of:
- Accounts
- Producing quotations for building work from audio tapes
- VAT returns
- Created a filing system for paper and electronic information
- Created a website for advertising
- Maintained all property portfolio information for buy to let properties (as a separate business)
Bar supervisor
Underground
Southport
09.2005 - 11.2007
- Underground was an Indie bar/club in Southport where I was working as a barmaid. Promoted to Bar Supervisor fairly soon after starting, where my duties included:
- Supervision of staff inc. rotas and wages
- Ordering and monitoring stock
- Processing deliveries
- Cashing up and banking
PA to Sales Director
Dylan Harvey Property Development
Manchester
11.2006 - 02.2007
- My position here was a short-term contract based in Manchester as a Personal Assistant to the Sales Director.
- Provide Sales staff with new and updated sales information
- Maintaining each Salespersons client database
- Diary management
- Wage calculations and target reports
- Banking/payment processing
- Taking minutes during Executive and Director meetings
- Producing sales and target reports
- Client correspondence for new sales etc
- First point of contact for the Northwest sales team
Recruitment and Administrations manager
Caterforce GB Ltd
Southport
02.2002 - 09.2005
- With a team of over 200 staff members being supplied to some of the most prestigious sporting and hospitality events in the UK.
- My duties here included:
- Operating the switchboard
- Recruiting and interviewing new staff
- Organising bookings
- Purchase orders
- Invoicing and monitoring Client accounts
- Promoting staff to businesses
- Staff rotas
- Wages, full processing of remuneration
- Tax returns, VAT, general accounting
- Advertising via website, job centre, online agencies, local paper and events
General Assistant
The Radley Hotel
Southport
09.1998 - 02.2002
- Meeting and greeting guests
- Taking and producing documentation for hotel and meal bookings
- Making/receiving payments from guests
- Weekly banking
- Co-manage weekly staff rotas
- Create and oversee completion of daily tasks with the hospitality team
- Led the evening meals as head waitress and managed the efficient running of the Tea Shop during the afternoons, serving both the public and hotel guests.
- Duties:
- This was a small 24 bedroom, family run hotel on The Promenade in Southport.
Young Mother and Baby parenting assessor
Nugent Care
- Delivered parenting support using structured teaching techniques focused on daily routines, sleep strategies, and separation anxiety to enable completion of formal Parenting Assessment
- Acted as key worker for a young mother and her baby who were both Looked After Children, providing tailored support and advocacy throughout the care and assessment process
- Facilitated multiagency meetings, including LAC reviews and Core Groups; prepared and presented accurate reports to guide decision-making for family welfare
- Compiled comprehensive written assessments for court proceedings, supporting child protection and care planning efforts
Education
Post Graduate Diploma - CYP IAPT Parenting Pathway
Greater Manchester Mental Health University
01-2022
Certificate - Preparatory Certificate in Education
Southport College
2019
First Class Ba (Hons) - Working with Children and Families
University of Cumbria
2018
2:1 Foundation Degree - Children, Young People and their Services
University of Central Lancashire
2017
Certificate - Level 3 Counselling Skills
Southport College
01-2015
Certificate - Restorative Justice
Dr Belinda Hopkins
01-2017
Certificate - Triple P Parenting Skills
Kamal Associates
01-2016
Skills
- Children's residential leadership
- Safeguarding and child protection
- Ofsted inspection readiness
- Regulation compliance
- Quality assurance
- Reflective supervision and team development
- Trauma-informed practice
- Positive Behaviour support
- Social & Emotional coaching practice
- Service improvement and change management
- Safer recruitment strategies
- Workforce planning and performance management
- Placement matching and risk assessment
- Multi-agency collaboration
- Governance and regulatory compliance
- Policy development
- Training delivery
- HR and employee relations
Hobbies and interests
- Gym
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Hiking
- Travel
- Reading
Timeline
Operations Manager
Holistic Support Services
01.2026 - Current
Parenting Co-Ordinator
Trafford Borough Council
10.2024 - 01.2026
Residential Childcare Worker
Holistic Health Services
05.2024 - 01.2026
Parenting Practitioner and Hub Lead
Young Person's Advisory Service
02.2021 - 10.2024
Residential Childcare Worker
New Horizons Ltd
07.2016 - 03.2017
Residential Family Support Worker and Family Keyworker
Amber Family Ltd
04.2015 - 09.2017
Administration assistant
Transpay Ltd
02.2015 - 05.2017
Agency support worker
24/7 Professional Health
02.2015 - 04.2015
Domestic cleaning
Time for you
01.2015 - 06.2018
Residential Childcare worker
Clumber Lodge
06.2010 - 12.2014
Administrator
Byrne & Co. Solicitors
04.2010 - 07.2010
Receptionist and Administrator
EEC Home Security
08.2008 - 04.2010
PA to Sales Director
Dylan Harvey Property Development
11.2006 - 02.2007
Bar supervisor
Underground
09.2005 - 11.2007
Recruitment and Administrations manager
Caterforce GB Ltd
02.2002 - 09.2005
Business Administrator
M. Forshaw Building Contractors
01.2002 - 10.2008
General Assistant
The Radley Hotel
09.1998 - 02.2002
Young Mother and Baby parenting assessor
Nugent Care
Post Graduate Diploma - CYP IAPT Parenting Pathway
Greater Manchester Mental Health University
Certificate - Preparatory Certificate in Education
Southport College
First Class Ba (Hons) - Working with Children and Families
University of Cumbria
2:1 Foundation Degree - Children, Young People and their Services
University of Central Lancashire
Certificate - Level 3 Counselling Skills
Southport College
Certificate - Restorative Justice
Dr Belinda Hopkins
Certificate - Triple P Parenting Skills
Kamal Associates