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If you would like to participate in Community Care Live 2013, you can do so via sponsorship opportunities or the exhibition. Community Care Live is a high-profile event and a fantastic opportunity to put your company in front of thousands of front-line social care professionals. To discuss your requirements please contact Nicky Davies on 020 8652 4782.

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Hosted by Jeremy Vine, distinguished broadcaster and journalist

Panellists:

  • Louise Casey CB, Director General, Troubled Families, Department of Communities and Local Government
  • Anne Farmer, Area Safeguarding Manager, Child Protection, Bristol City Council
  • Glen Mason, Director for People, Communities and Local Government, Department of Health
  • Kay Sheldon, Board Member,Care Quality Commission
  • Ruth Smith, Editor, Community Care 
  • Julia Unwin CBE, Chief Executive, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust

Speaker Biographies:

LOUISE CASEY CB, is Director General of the Troubled Families programme at the Department of Communities and Local Government.  She is working to the Secretary of State on the Prime Minister’s commitment to turn around the lives of 120,000 of the country’s most troubled families. She took up post in November 2011.  Previously, Louise has held roles as the first independent Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses, Director General in the Home Office, head of the cross-government Respect Task Force and Director of the Home Office’s Anti-social Behaviour Unit.  Between 1992 and 1999, Louise was Deputy Director of Homelessness Charity Shelter and, prior to that, held a number of posts in the social welfare sector. 

ANNE FARMER is currently an Area Service Manager, managing child Protection Social Work Teams in the central part of Bristol.  Initially qualifying in 1980, she has consistently worked in statutory child care as both a social worker, team manager, IRO and conference chair.  In her current role Anne’s staff were involved in the BBC documentary “Protecting Our Children”.  Ongoing commitments also include an interest in student learning and development and links to practice.  Anne has chaired the moderating and quality panels, reviewing practice portfolios a the local university.  She has also been involved in contributing to the publication edited by Harry Ferguson Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives.

GLEN MASON is currently Director of People, Community and Local Government with the Department of Health. His policy responsibilities include Local Government policy, workforce policy, informatics and the DH's sub-national presence. Glen began his career in 1986 as a social worker in Nottinghamshire.  After a period in North Yorkshire he became Head of Children’s Services with Trafford MBC. He held Assistant Director posts with both Wolverhampton and Manchester before moving to become Regional Director with the Social Services Inspectorate.  Prior to joining the Department of Health Glen was Director for Adults and Community with Wolverhampton City Council and was responsible for, amongst other services, Adult Social Care, Adult Education, Culture and Leisure. Glen has been an active member of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and was Chair of the ADASS National Learning Disabilities Network.

KAY SHELDON is a board member of the Care Quality Commission. She has a background in involvement and participation sparked by her own experiences of using mental health services and associated feelings of powerlessness and lack of voice. Starting at a local level, Kay has been involved in a wide range of initiatives either putting forward a user perspective of creating opportunities for others to have a voice, either in their own care or in the planning, delivery and evaluation of health and social care services. This has included user-led initiatives such as an advocacy project as well as working with a wide range of organisations such as the Mental Health Act Commission, Mind, NICE and the Mental Health Foundation.

RUTH SMITH is the Editor of Community Care. Previously, she held news and feature editing roles on a trade magazine for professionals who work with children and young people. She first started writing about children's social care soon after the green paper Every Child Matters was published in 2003.  When not at work she enjoys dressmaking and baking cakes.

JULIA UNWIN CBEis the Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. She was a member of the Housing Corporation Board for 10 years and has previously worked as an independent consultant operating within government and the voluntary and corporate sectors, where she focused on the governance and funding of voluntary organisations. Julia also held positions as Chair of the Refugee Council and Deputy Chair of the Food Standards Agency. She is currently a member of the University of York’s Council, and is on the Board of Governors for Ashridge Business School.
Follow Julia on Twitter @juliaunwin

JEREMY VINE established himself as a charming but tough-talking presenter on Newsnight. He now presents the daily lunchtime show on Radio 2 and fronts Panorama