Social Work Week 2026 - Speaker biographies

John came to social work as a mature student having worked as a roofer on building sites. He drove a taxi to fund his training. He qualified as a social worker and wanted to learn more about working in mental health services, later deciding to train as an AMHP. He has been an AMHP for 13 years and feels the role has been a privilege, but also at times stressful when he has needed to speak out and challenge others in order to support and protect the people he supports.

Katherine provides care and support for her daughter and grandchildren and was the full time carer for her father until recently. As a nurse and health visitor, she had a career as a clinician and held strategic posts in public health before becoming a researcher and lecturer at Kings College London, Swansea University and The Open University.

Jan is a voluntary carer for a highly intelligent friend who has autism and complex post traumatic disorder. A former business woman, Jan has also run a mental health drop in centre. She has successfully led high profile health and social care complaints to the ombudsmen, redefining the rights of people accessing services, including the right to challenge the findings of a safeguarding investigation. She was an advisor to Care Inspectorate Wales for several years, reviewing legislation and its implementation.

Jan believes that if we all work together, respecting each other’s strengths and abilities, much more can be achieved and with less stress for everyone.

Nick is a Registered Social Worker and Research and Practice Development Officer in Swansea University. He co-ordinates the Developing Evidence Enriched Practice programme. This work focuses on a co-production approach to using evidence in learning and development. Having spent many years in practice and planning in social care services, he can make connections between research, policy and practice with a network across Wales and the UK. He is passionate about supporting a shift from process-driven to relationship-centred practice.

Emma is a Senior Research Associate in Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Her work focuses on relationship-based practice and personal outcomes for people who use services and unpaid carers. Emma works closely with practitioners, organisations, and people with lived experience across Scotland and Wales to support meaningful, humane practice within real-world constraints. Emma is a registered social worker.

Diane is Director of Research for the School of Health Sciences, Bangor University. She is an established social care researcher, leading work that has supported change in national social care support (short breaks) for carers. Diane’s work represents a longstanding commitment to collaborative research to improve social care outcomes for older adults and their carers. Key to Diane’s work is the active involvement and engagement of people with living experience.

Cerian is a Social Work Manager at Social Care Wales. Her role is focused on supporting the professional development and working conditions of social workers in Wales.

Cerian has worked in social care for over 30 years. She qualified as a Social Worker in 2007 with a Masters degree from Cardiff University and has worked in the third sector and statutory adult social work services in Wales and England. She is a registered Social Worker.

Lance Carver is the Director of Social Services for the Vale of Glamorgan Council. He leads adult and children's social care services across the county. With extensive experience in public sector leadership, Lance has played a key role in developing more joined-up approaches to care, with a focus on improving outcomes for individuals and communities.

As Co-Chair of the Cardiff and Vale Regional Safeguarding Board, Lance helps oversee multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and makes sure that effective partnerships are in place to protect and support vulnerable populations. His leadership has been central to the development of strategic initiatives that strengthen service delivery and promote collaborative working across health and social care sectors.

Lance also led the development and delivery of the Wales Safeguarding Procedures. This wide role delivered the procedures in an easily accessible and mobile format for anyone to use in Wales and ensures that they remain up to date. In 2024 to 2025 Lance was also the Chairman of ADSSC, the national leadership organisation for social care in Wales.

Nick joined Gwent Police in 2004 and soon moved into Detective roles including roles in CID, Child Protection Investigation and Serious Violent Crime. After transferring to South Wales Police in 2017, he progressed though promotion opportunities and has worked in Investigations, Corporate Services and Safeguarding up to the ranks of Chief Inspector. He has significant experience at practitioner, supervisory and strategic level, working with partners to safeguard children and adults that either need help or protecting. Nick previously had strategic responsibility for Child Protection and missing people in South Wales Police. This included writing force policies and improving procedures and practice, as well as making sure these changes were understood and used by frontline teams.

Nick has also worked across three different Regional Safeguarding Board areas within safeguarding over the years and is an advocate of ‘in person’ partnership arrangements whenever possible.

Esyllt has worked in the social care sector for eighteen years, including sixteen years as a qualified social worker. She has held a range of roles within Children Services in local authorities and now works as Head of Social Work and Safeguarding at Social Care Wales. Esyllt works closely with stakeholders and the sector across Wales, which is reflected in the launch and implementation of the first National Safeguarding Training, Learning and Development Standards in Wales.

Esyllt is passionate about multi-agency working in safeguarding and believes that working with people, who are the experts in their own lives, is also key to achieving the best outcomes.

Rhoda has worked in both the voluntary and statutory sectors since the 1970s, developing adult and children’s services across health and social care. She was named Welsh Woman of the Year in 2007 for her innovative contributions to effective practice, and she received an OBE in 2008 for her work with disadvantaged families.

She now works independently across the UK, supporting strategic workforce development and relational, strengths-based approaches. She has played a leading role in embedding strengths-based practice in Wales for more than 15 years.

Laurel manages a team delivering integrated family support and edge of care interventions. A practising social worker for 18 years across children’s and mental health services, she has contributed to the implementation of strengths-based and collaborative communication approaches in children and adults’ services. Her practice is rooted in creativity, relationships, and keeping families’ voices central to decision-making.

Rachel is a Consultant Social Worker in the Cardiff Hospital Social Work Team. She works in fast paced and often complex hospital settings, making sure the experiences of people and carers guide planning and decision making. Rachel is an experienced Collaborative Communication mentor and Practice Educator, supporting reflective, strengths-based practice across her teams, especially when pressures are high. She is passionate about supporting social work students and newly qualified social workers as they begin their practice in hospital settings.

Becky Evans is the Chief Enabling Officer at Credu. She is a long‑time advocate for strengths‑based practice. She has worked across social care, education, youth work and community development, always guided by the belief that everyone has value and strengths that should be recognised and nurtured.

Becky’s leadership is shaped by deep listening, curiosity and a commitment to meaningful human connection. She has seen how these principles can help people grow, and empower carers, young people, teams and communities to find their own solutions.

Becky is committed to making sure the voices that matter most are heard, and creating spaces where stories lead to change. She promotes a culture of kindness, reflection and action, and continues to guide Credu to build communities where people feel seen, heard and supported.

Jay is the strengths-based practice Manager at Social Care Wales. He leads national work to embed and strengthen strengths-based approaches across social care and health. Since joining Social Care Wales in 2022, he has supported culture change, practitioner development and the growth of relational, values led practice.

Jay regularly delivers teaching and workshops on strengths-based conversations, reflective practice and “what matters” approaches, including contributions to postgraduate programmes. His work focuses on empowering practitioners, fostering curiosity and strengthening the human connection at the heart of social work.

Eve is a Partner at Blake Morgan LLP and leads the firm's Wales office. She regularly advises social workers on many legal issues, from getting the right support for vulnerable individuals to dealing with statutory duties and safeguarding responsibilities. She also advises health and care professional regulators on fitness to practice processes to include drafting social media and freedom of expression guidance for registrants.

Eve is Assistant Editor of the Encyclopaedia of Social Services and Child Care Law and the Mental Capacity Act Manual. She also teaches as a regular guest lecturer at Aberystwyth University.

Liz is the social care workforce development lead at Social Care Wales. Liz has also worked on the Welsh language remit within the organisation for the last seven years. She has an interest in culture and how this reflects in practice.

Rhian is on her final placement in a long-term childcare team and expects to complete her Master’s degree in social work this year. She trained as a classical musician and decided to pursue a career in social work after spending time working with children who had additional learning needs when she became passionate about the need to advocate for both children and adults with disabilities.

She hopes to work within a team supporting young people with disabilities, to pursue this passion and contribute to improving outcomes for young people with disabilities and their families.

Mair supports social workers in their first three years in practice as a learning and development advisor. She also runs the evidence enriched practice group in Carmarthenshire. Mair is interested in how creativity supports well-being in practice and how social workers from various disciplines can work together to develop their practice by listening to experienced voices.

Siobhan has been a social worker for 35 years and became a practice educator in 1995. Siobhan has worked independently for many years, taking on a wide range of work, including training, creating practice learning resources and consultancy work.

In 2004, Siobhan became Secretary of the International Federation of Social Workers, holding this position for eight years.

Siobhan has written extensively, mainly on social work theory and critical reflection and is committed to making knowledge clear and accessible to busy practitioners.

Siobhan recently moved to Northern Ireland where she has enjoyed taking on the practice teacher role.

Siobhan is a Fellow of The RSA.

Bex Steen is the Leadership Development Manager at Social Care Wales.

She has more than 22 years of frontline social care leadership experience.

She’s passionate about helping leaders grow and is inspired by the voices of people with lived experience to make real, meaningful change.

Bex loves creating practical, engaging programmes that boost confidence and curiosity. She believes great leadership isn’t just about decisions, it’s about people. Her mission is to make leadership feel human, approachable, and impactful.