Using Virtual Reality in Children’s Social Care

Jim Highfield-Ford has worked in Hampshire’s Children Services since 2010. Starting his career as a care worker in a children’s home he went on to work in Hampshire’s specialist Willow team that supports children at risk of missing, exploitation and trafficking. The team also acts as first responders to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who are found or placed in Hampshire.

Jim has a wide and varied experience in working with children and has presented talks and workshops to a large range of audiences. He has a particular interest in supporting young people that are often deemed as ‘hard to engage’.

After 13 years in front line, he now works as a Service Improvement Manager in a team that helps to lead and assist projects in the Children & Families branch of Hampshire. One of these projects is the use of Virtual Reality headsets in direct work as well as learning and development of staff. Jim is also the Co-Chair for the LGBT+ staff network in Hampshire.