People
Dara de Burca
Chief Executive
Dara is an experienced executive leader with over 30 years’ experience across the charity and public sectors. Previously the Executive Director of Dementia Support and Partnerships at the Alzheimer’s Society, she led dementia support services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including early diagnosis, brain health and national services such as the Dementia Support Line.
She is known for designing and scaling high-impact, evidence-based programmes, connecting policy, practice and lived experience to drive system-wide change. Her work includes major digital transformation and initiatives such as the Disrupting Child Exploitation Programme and a national children’s cancer nurse keyworker scheme.
A qualified social worker, Dara was raised and educated in Ireland and holds postgraduate qualifications in Health and Social Care Leadership. She is a Trustee at New Horizon Youth Centre and sits on the Adult Social Care Workforce Oversight Executive Group. Outside work, she enjoys time with her civil partner, her grown-up children, and visiting her mother in Ireland.
Sophie Humphreys OBE
Founder
Sophie is an experienced independent advisor on child protection and safeguarding, working with central government, local authorities and organisations in the UK and internationally. She is known for innovative approaches to tackling repeat child removals and children involved in crime, and is the founder and co-founder of Pause and SHiFT. She also created the Breaking Cycles model, which underpins both of these organisations and Reset, driving systemic change nationally.
Previously, Sophie was a commercial film producer at Ridley Scott Associates and founded her own production company, leading the National Lottery launch campaign. She has held senior advisory and board roles, including Professional Advisor to the City and Hackney LSCB (the first rated Outstanding). She has led and contributed to major safeguarding reviews, including advising on the Oxfam investigation. She has served on multiple national boards such as Cafcass and was a founding governor at the London Screen Academy. Outside work, Sophie enjoys yoga, meditation and time with her dog, Percy.
Dr. Jenny Taylor
Clinical Director
Jenny's primary clinical and research interests are in the application of psychology to the problems of socially excluded families. She started her career managing a specialist CAMHS team for children in care and their families and carers in South London, and then moved on to lead one of the trial sites of the national Multi-Systemic Therapy Research Programme. More recently Jenny has been the clinical lead for one of the DfE's Innovations Projects supporting six local authorities to develop innovative ways of working with children at the edge of care, for the NHS England project scoping ways of delivering integrated care across the Children and Young People's Secure Estate (SECURE STAIRS), and is currently Assistant Director for Clinical Practice for the London Borough of Southwark’s Children’s Services.
Jenny has twice been the Chair of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Clinical Psychology during which she oversaw the move to statutory regulation of clinical psychologists by the HCPC, and supported the roll out of the original adult IAPT program. She has been involved in a number of key publications regarding children and families, including the development of the NICE Guidelines for Conduct Disorder and various BPS publications on improving child and family services. Jenny is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and a keen paddleboarder.
Abi Jordan
Systemic Family Therapy and Practice Lead
Abi Jordan is a qualified Social Worker, Systemic Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor with over 15 years’ experience across social care, the NHS and private practice. Her work spans child protection, children in care, youth offending, fostering and adoption, and CAMHS, with a specialist interest in complex care systems such as residential children’s homes.
Abi offers therapy to families, couples and individuals, alongside teaching, training and clinical supervision. She is passionate about supporting families and the systems around them, with a strong focus on power, oppression and building safe, effective therapeutic relationships.
Alongside her clinical work, Abi provides group supervision in residential settings and is Course Lead for the Intermediate Skills in Family Therapy and Systemic Practice at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, as well as delivering systemic training to local authorities.
We are also hiring for a Coordinator to support the Chief Executive and founding team.
For more information, click here.
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