Ask the experts: your career dilemmas answered

Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly is a registered social worker who is an experienced senior manager. Following her retirement she has become a senior partner in Bokell Associates Ltd, for whom she now works offering consultancy and project developement leadership working as a consultant in a number of councils and private sector organisations. Her work with councils have Included setting up a number of social care academies in children's and adults' services -these have included the Surrey Children Services Academy in Surrey County Council and Barnet Children Practice Academy in Barnet Council, Norfolk Social Care Academy in Norfolk County Council, Medway Social Care Academy in Medway Council and the first Children Academy in Croydon Council. She has also advised other councils, including Southwark, Wandsworth and Havering on the development of their workforce service academies as an expert advisor.

Kayleigh Rose Evans is an accomplished social worker, practice educator, and best interests assessor, specialising in adult services. She holds a master’s degree in professional development in social work and is dedicated to advancing the field through education and advocacy.

Alongside her social work practice, Kayleigh works as an independent trainer, sharing her knowledge and experience with others in the field. She also shares valuable advice, relatable educational content, and reflections on social work through her popular YouTube channel.

Claire qualified as a social worker in 1992 and an AMHP in 1996 - since then she has worked as frontline social worker in a generic team, a Community Mental Health Team, an Assertive outreach team as well as management posts in Mental Health and most recently in an Emergency Duty Team. Alongside that she written books for AMHPs about undertaking Mental Health Act Assessments, and worked nationally on the introduction to the Professional Capabilities Framework for Social Work amongst other things. Currently she splits her time between organisational development work in Children’s and working for the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services around policy & practice.