Nathaniel O'Brien

Catch22 NLCBF Co-production & Engagement Lead

Nat has 20 years of experience in the health and social care sector.  He brings his experience of managing the LIFT Children’s Homes project, as an Operations Managers for a carers campaigning charity in Manchester, support brokerage for Manchester and NHS Manchester, a wide range of event planning and working in children's residential care.

Dyllan Watkins

YPBMF Sessional Worker

Hi, I am a YPBMF Sessional Worker for the National Care Leavers Benchmarking Forum!

Victoria Odude

YPBMF Steering Group Rep

I joined the NCLBF team in September 2022. I started working for my local authority in Wandsworth as a participation business admin apprentice where I worked with young people in care and care leavers. Before joining the team I was a champion for YPBMF, alongside this I have volunteered for the Youth Justice Board and had the opportunity to speaker at 10 Downing Street on Youth Justice, as well as being a panel member on fostering panels. Throughout all these roles my interest remains with improving the support of young people Leaving care.

Mary Stokes

Project Officer Young People Leaving Care Programme

Passionate about inclusion, I’ve built my career in the special needs and disability sector, working across both Children’s and Adult services. Starting on the frontline, I’ve progressed into strategic and senior project based roles, using my lived experience and professional insight to influence service delivery and drive meaningful change. With a first-class degree in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion, Qualified Teacher Status, and BSL Level 2, I bring both academic expertise and practical knowledge to my work. I’m committed to creating inclusive environments where every individual is heard, valued, and empowered—whether in education, social care, or wider community settings.

Helen Mary Jones

Head of Influencing and Campaigns

Helen Mary is an experienced campaigner for the rights of children and young people. She has held a wide range of roles in the public and third sectors, including Chief Executive of a national youth work charity. She served twice as a member of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), chairing the Children and Young People's Committee, and the Cross Party Group on Care Experienced Children and Young People. Since 2021 she has led Voices from Care Cymru's influencing work, enabling care experienced children to support and challenge Welsh Government as they work to deliver radical reform of services for care experienced children and young people.

Sherrie Austin

Expert by Experience

I've been lucky enough to be involved with Juno for a few years now working with a great team of caring, compassionate change makers. I currently hold an apprentice NED position which gives me the opportunity to learn more about the intricasies of running our homes along with feeding back between our experts by experience group and the board. This, along with the amazing work of my peers ensures that lived experience is embedded throughout Juno

Alani Cook

Network Team Member/YPBMF Champion

I use my own care experience to voice and advocate for young people within the care system, this has led me into being involved on a local and national level of advocacy. I have worked on developing resources for decision-makers alongside UK Trauma Council and panelling with the YPBMF during their events.

Riley Kemp

Network Team Member

Part of the Network Board, the team in Dorset who goes to Corporate Parenting Board. Work with Become, recently presented at the APPG event.

Mandy Jarvis

Youth Voice Officer at Dorset Council

Working to hear the voices of care experienced children and young people in a trauma informed way so that what we do meets their needs. Out of work I am a gardener, = sea swimmer and keeper of a herd of 14 guinea pigs (as well as a small black dog and 2 cats!).

Heather Thomson

Shared lives ambassador

Care experience

rachel leslie

Strategic Advisor - Care Leavers and Transitions

Rachel is a qualified Social Worker with over 20 years experience working with disabled children, children in care and care leavers, both inside and outside of Local Authorities. She set up and led one of the original 8 DfE Innovation Fund Staying Close pilots. Her work in this role was recognised by the DfE who nominated her to attend the Queen’s Garden Party for her impact on outcomes for care leavers. Before working with Shared Lives Plus she was Director of Care Services, for a Children’s Charity, responsible for a range of Ofsted regulated services including children’s homes, supported accommodation, a fostering service and a parent and child assessment centre. Rachel is passionate about participation.

Sky Wakeman

Care Experienced Participant

Parent with Care Experience. On a mission to improve the way services support parents with care experience.

Fatou Jinadu

Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU)

Speaker from GMIAU

Lucia Sivori

Voices From Care Cymru

(VFCC) is a national, independent, Welsh organisation. We are dedicated to upholding the rights and welfare of care experienced children and young people.

Rebecca Toohey

We are Juno

We create homes where young people feel safe, loved and supported in all aspects of their emotional, physical, and educational development - homes, where young people thrive.

Richard Crellin

Facilitator - Esmee Fairbairn Leaving Care Learning Programme

I am a freelancer working with charities, community groups and statutory partners who support children and young people. My work spans co-production, research, impact and evaluation, learning, policy work and campaigning. As part of the Esmee Fairbairn Leaving Care Learning Programme I support the 35+ organisations funded by the foundation to connect, build capacity and take collective action.

katrina gallacher

Care and Justice lead

Katrina is the care and justice lead at Staf/CYCJ leading on Youth Justice Voices, a pioneering project for people with care and justice experience in Scotland. Katrina is care experienced and has a degree in community development. Katrina's background is in Youth work and participation and especially enjoys working with young people to co-produce resources and content to support and inform people with care and justice experience. Katrina will be joined by Reece, who is a steering group member of Youth Just us, one of the three steering groups that form Youth Justice Voices.

Jane Gray

Project Manager

Jane has worked in the arts for over 20 years, beginning her career at The National Theatre in London. She specialises in participation with children and young people, and loves seeing their skills and confidence develop through the arts. She manages the Creative Aid project, alongside colleagues at Nepacs. She is an Arts Award Adviser, and a Trainer, with Trinity College London, and loves bringing Arts Award into some of the projects she manages at Blue Cabin (especially seeing the faces of the children and young people when they receive their Arts Award certificates!)

Sophie Clarke

Managing Director

I am the Managing Director for Juno, overseeing the launch of Juno’s not-for-profit children's homes and guiding our strategic direction in Liverpool City Region. I lead Juno's work with Experts by Experience, because I firmly believe that the best quality services have the views, insights and contributions of people with lived experience at their heart. Prior to setting up Juno CIC, I was part of the team at Capacity, working alongside Local Authorities, third sector organisation and local children and families to co-design Early Help for Families, services for Care Leavers and emotional wellbeing support for local communities.

Catherine Forster

Creative Aid Support Worker

I have been working with The Creative Aid project for the past year. A project that supports care experienced young people in prison through therapeutic arts. We work with artist in residence to explore different genres including creative writing, poetry, visual art and more recently music. Their work is published into a limited edition book and online galleries.

Laura Frood

Producer

I am a creative producer and arts practitioner dedicated to working with care experienced young people, using the arts as a catalyst for personal and systemic change. Through small and large scale interventions, I place lived experience at the centre, empowering young people to shape narratives, influence policy, and drive social transformation. My work spans participatory arts, creative activism, and trauma informed practice, fostering spaces where creativity becomes a tool for healing, advocacy, and change. From intimate workshops to high impact public campaigns, I champion the voices of care experienced communities, striving to activate change across self, sector, and society.

Daphne McClellan

Communications & Promotion

I am a current public relations and marketing student, and care-experienced person. I first connected with Articulate as a participant through the project our workshop will be discussing (Gable End). Since May, I have been working with Articulate on communications and promotion, alongside my other job of almost 2 years with another care-experienced organisation, The Hub for Success.

Chloe Jones

Expert by Experience

I have been at Juno for two years, and while my work varies beautifully, I have mainly been on the recruitment panel and advising with home design. I have also helped to shape training days, and been lucky enough to attend a few board meetings to understand how the executive running of Juno looks. Working at Juno brings amazing opportunities, such as attending conferences and events similar to these to learn more and engage with ambitious and like-minded people in this field.

Jamie Duvall

We are Juno

Juno started with an idea. That things could – and should – be done differently for the benefit of local, care-experienced young people. So, We’re on a mission to transform the landscape of children’s residential care in the Liverpool City Region. ​

Gail Kirkby

NEPAC

Nepacs is a north of England charity that supports individuals, families, young people and children who have been affected by the criminal justice system, prison or care system.

Karla George

Norfolk Children Services

Participation Co-ordinator