Karen Foster – Registered Manager
Hello, I’m Karen and I am thrilled to lead the development of Assured Fostering as their Registered Manager. I am responsible for overseeing the Assured Fostering service ensuring our compliance with regulations, recruitment and management of staff, recruiting and supporting foster carers, maintaining high standards of care for children living with our families, and liaising with external agencies. Safeguarding the well-being and development of children in foster care is essential to my role, while ensuring the service operates effectively within legal and regulatory frameworks.
I have dedicated 20 years of my career to fostering, starting out as a Supervising Social Worker before progressing on to Team & Operations Manager roles before becoming the Registered Manager with Assured Fostering in September 2023. My background in fostering management and project development has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to support the ongoing development of our agency which will prioritize the well-being of children in our care. I understand the complexities and rewards of providing a stable and loving home for children and I am committed to supporting our foster carers and the children they care for; my aim being to offer children safe, stable, nurturing, and loving family homes where they can reach their potential with the support of our foster carers and our team, of which I am very much a part.
I like to keep fit, despite this being a challenge every day, and have recently started running which I am enjoying. I love spending time with my family and friends, eating out, walking and reading when I have the time.
Neil Raby – Senior Supervising Social Worker
Hi. My name is Neil and I have been in the social care arena for 23 years. During this time I have gained experience in all areas of social care such as residential care, front line safeguarding social work and adoption. I have worked on children’s emotional health teams, and more recently I have worked for several years in fostering which is my passion.
In my spare time I enjoy being active, I have completed many Ironman triathlon races all over the world along with marathons and cross fit competitions. I am married and have 2 grown up daughters.
Jody Carter – Administrator
Hello, I’m Jody, I am the Administrator for Assured Fostering and have 9 years administrative experience working within an Independent Fostering Agency, supporting Supervising Social Workers and Foster Carers to ensure the best outcomes for children and young people. Outside of work I relax by going on dog walks and reading. I also enjoy being sociable and like to spend time with my family and friends.
Clare Yilmaz – Therapist
Hello, I am Clare. I have many years’ experience in counselling adults, children, and teenagers with a wide range of emotional, behavioural, and mental health issues. I also have 15 years’ experience of counselling adults, children and young people with a variety of issues including addictions, abuse, anger, anxiety, bereavement and loss, bullying, depression, domestic abuse, divorce, gender, illness, relationships, school issues, self-esteem, self-harm, sexuality and suicidal thoughts.
For the past 3 years I have been supporting foster carers with managing challenges experienced by some of the children they are caring for. I provide warmth, understanding and a safe space to help you explore your thoughts and feelings with the aim of increasing your understanding of childhood trauma and how this can impact upon children and present itself through various behaviours and emotions which can be difficult to manage a times. My support of our foster carers helps to raise self-awareness, your understanding of why some behaviours presents themselves, support the management of your own emotions and offer coping strategies to help support the children in your care.
I provide therapeutic reflect groups for carers as part of my role with Assured Fostering. Reflect groups offer carers the opportunity to share their experiences and discuss various topics where additional support may be required. As part of these groups, I share management strategies to support carers with situations they may find challenging. I also offer 1-1 support sessions for carers who are experiencing particular issues which are not for discussion within the group.
Chris Dingley – Agency Decision Maker
I qualified as a Social Worker in 1996 and hold the Diploma in Social Work. I also hold a BA (Hons) in Social Work & Politics from the University of Hull.
I started my social carer career off as a Drug Service Worker / Prison Worker in 1991 before gaining my qualification in Social Work. Since then, I have worked in two Local Authority Safeguarding Teams, as a Child Protection Officer with the NSPCC, Probation Officer and as a Children’s Guardian, before moving into the field of fostering.
Within the field of fostering, I have held positions as a Senior Practitioner, Reviewing Officer, Quality Assurance Manager, Registered Manager and Operational Manager. I currently work for myself via my own company but still mostly in fostering. I work closely with many Local Authorities and Independent Agencies throughout the UK, mainly regarding service improvement work and overseeing their marketing, recruitment and assessment of foster carers, as well as undertaking complaint investigations and foster carer reviews.
I have been presenting work to fostering panels since 2001 as a Social Worker, Manager and Independent Assessor. I have also previously sat on two fostering panels as a Panel Advisor and currently chair 5 fostering panels. I still undertake at least two fostering assessments a year so that I do not lose touch with how it feels to be sat in front of a panel for both new foster carers and assessors.
The work that fostering families and their Supervising Social Workers do to support and care for children and young people is amazing. As panel members we are able to read about it, talk about it and meet the people that are actually doing it! Sometimes we meet people just starting their fostering careers, and sometimes people that have been fostering for many years. Their enthusiasm, selflessness and commitment to children are truly humbling.
I am originally from Manchester but have lived in Crosby, Liverpool for the past 15 years with my partner Louise. I have one daughter, Emma aged 29, who lives in Manchester but still manages to keep me busy! When not working, I am usually reading, away taking photographs for various charities, or watching Manchester City FC with Louise, which I have been doing for over 48 years….