Steph is part of Thirtyone:eight’s Safeguarding Advisor team, and is this role undertakes consultancy work, audits, investigations, and reviews, as well as helping with the Safeguarding Helpline and out of hours service.
Steph is a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England. Prior to this role she has worked in the Adult Social Care sector for 17 years. During that time Steph worked in a variety of roles with adults of varying needs, backgrounds, and abilities. Steph started working in residential support work, later in self-advocacy for people with learning disabilities, then subsequently working in Local Authority teams including older persons mental health teams and community teams for adults with physical disabilities. Most recently Steph worked in a Quality and Safeguarding Team for care homes and care agencies, undertaking quality audits, leading on large scale safeguarding enquiries (following an incident or multiple quality concerns), and helping care homes improve the quality of their care where they had been rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission. Steph also has a background in working in areas of mental capacity and is a qualified Best Interest Assessor, undertaking assessments for those at risk of being deprived of their liberty.
Steph is passionate about person-centred practice and ensuring that the rights of individuals are safeguarded to create safer spaces and cultures and is keen to apply her skillset in a new context to equip and encourage others to do the same.