About the Centre of Excellence

Our aspirations

By providing the necessary support and training, we want our staff to excel so that they can in turn offer excellent services to the people they are in contact with. To achieve this, we will:

• promote quality and high standards in practice
• drive practice improvements
• deliver training and learning opportunities
• support professional and career development and progression

Our latest Ofsted Report rated us ‘good’ and our training was seen as a big positive and something that allows us to stand out from other councils. We achieved this by ensuring our staff are highly trained and supported and can demonstrate consistent high practice standards.

Our programmes

We lead on programmes including:

• Workforce development
• Training for foster carers, children and adult practitioners
• Students, Social Work and Occupational Therapy Apprentices and Practice Educators
• Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE)
• National assessment and accreditation system (NAAS)
• Quality Assurance and Practice Improvement
• Practice Leads

Our services

• Child Protection and Vulnerable Children - MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub), Child Protection, Child in Need, Adolescence and Support, EDT (Emergency Duty Team), Domestic Abuse
• Looked after children and care leavers - Looked after Children, Leaving Care Teams, Fostering and Special Guardianship Teams, Virtual School, Contact Centres
• Joint service for disabled children - Cheviots, Early Intervention Support Service, Short Breaks, Transition and Internship
• Early help, youth and community safety - Youth Offending, Youth Services, Community Safety, Early Help
• Safeguarding - Safeguarding and Quality Assurance, Family Group Conference

Our team

We are supported by a team of staff from social work, learning and development and administration support disciplines.

Peter Turton - Principal Social Worker and Signs of Safety Lead

"I have been a frontline social worker for 20 years based in Referral and Assessment, CAMHS and Cin/CP teams. I’m responsible for student and ASYE learning and embedding our Signs of Safety practice model. Staff wellbeing is important to me and my ambition is for social workers and caseworkers to feel valued and helped to be the best."

Tina Milne - Practice Learning Consultant

"I have a vast amount of experience in learning and development, which includes designing and delivering training programs for industries, including utilities and local government. Specialising in the development and delivery of customised and effective training programs to support adult social care strategies."

Stacey Caffell - ASYE Consultant

"I am a qualified social worker and practice educator. I have worked within children and families services for 13 years – child protection and family support and MASH. Having completed my ASYE in Enfield, I am keen to support NQSW’s on their journey, not only with the practical support I offer but also recognising and supporting individuals needs."

Matthew Fisher – Learning and Development Manager for children and family services, health and adult social care

‘I am a qualified social Worker with 25 years’ experience in both adults and childrens social care. My current role in ECOE sees me manage the training programmes for both children and families services and health and adult social care as well as the learner in health and adult social care.’

Janet Black Heaven - Interim Service Manager

‘I am an experienced senior manager in Enfield, having worked here for approximately 20 years in various management roles within the frontline teams and services. I currently work part-time as the practice improvement lead which involves identifying gaps in our practice and working with and supporting the teams, services and the organisation to improve towards excellence.’

Nicola Herron - Centre of Excellence Coordinator

‘I have experience working in both Private and Public sectors providing support in areas such as Compliance and Quality/Efficiency.’

Leeanne Waller- Social Work Practice Mentor

‘I have been a qualified social worker for 15 years working within Children’s Services, predominately Assessment and Intervention and Fostering as a Reviewing Officer. I have also worked for the National Crime Agency in their child exploitation team. My current role as a Social Work Practice Mentor in ECoE sees me supporting student social workers whilst they are on placement in Enfield Children’s Services. I believe supporting students to have a positive placement experience where they are able to develop their social worker skills assists them when transitioning into becoming a newly qualified social worker.’

Josephine Kelly – Practice Learning Consultant

“With 38 years in local government and 29 and a half years as a qualified social worker in adult social care, I have diverse experience across teams and settings. Now in learning and development, I provide day to day support and guidance for the ASYE programme, supporting students, apprentices, and practice educators. I believe building strong career foundations early is essential for long-term success and well-being”

This group of dedicated staff work alongside the following Children and Family Services. Feel free to get in touch to discuss anything social care related.

If you want to get in touch with our team, email centreofexcellence@enfield.gov.uk.

Our partners

We are proud to be supported by an excellent line up of educational establishments supporting us to delivery our high-quality social care training and development programme. These include:

• Middlesex University
• University of Kent
• University of Hertfordshire
• Making Research Count