Cynthia Cross
From PETT-Wiki
D.o.B. February 14, 1935.
Educated at Yardley Grammar School, Birmingham, until 18 years.
1954-1960. Worked as a veterinary nurse, farm worker, laboratory technician.
1960: Started work with London County Council [LCC] as "Assistant Housemother" at Beechholme, a large "Cottage Home". Later became a "Deputy Housemother".
(I went to work in child care as a result of living in a pacifist community and coming to believe that I should do something positive/constructive with my ideals/ideas).
1962: Seconded on to C.R.C.C.Y.P. [Course for the Residential Care of Children and Young People].
1963-1965: Worked at Hartfield House, LCC (only) establishment for disturbed primary aged children.
1965: Founder member of New Barns, a therapeutic community for emotionally disturbed children aged 6-13 years.
1970: Training Officer for Children's Residential and Specialist Services, London Borough of Lambeth. Also group leader/trainer for Family Placement Scheme.
1975: Post-Qualifying Course at N.I.S.W. [National Institute of Social Work] Training and Supervision and Residential Work.
1979: Homes Adviser (Children), London Borough of Bromley.
1985-August 1988: As a result of re-organisations within Bromley, I was for about three years, mainly, Principal Social Worker (Children) responsible for i) the Children's Residential Establishments, ii) the Team Leader Fostering and Adoption, iii) Directly or indirectly the placements of all Bromley children coming into care or moving placements.
August 1988-December 1990: Principal Consultant Child Care, mainly responsible for the overseeing of child protection work and organising the child care and child protection training arising from the Government Grant. January 1991: Self-employed Child Care Consultant and Trainer.
Below are listed some of the jobs/work which I have undertaken:-
Supervision of project leader and regular team training for 3 houses at St. Mary's, Gravesend (Catholic Children's Society).
Section 22 Inspections of four Children's Homes.
Supervision of Officer of Charge of The Haven, Salvation Army Children's Home, and some training days.
Child Care Consultant to the Salvation Army, in particular drawing up documents etc. to implement the 1989 Children Act. Involved in some training for all managers of Salvation Army establishments were children and families are accommodated.
Visits and reports re. Salvation Army establishments in S.E. England to help with accreditation of the Salvation Army as a placement provider for DipSW [Diploma in Social Work], also two establishments re. starting NVQ [National Vocational Qualification].
A few day courses for London Borough of Bromley staff.
Formulating child protection procedures and complaints procedures for two independent establishments.
Two (separate) days training for G.P.s re child protection.
Working with London Borough of Camden mother re managing her children, being rehabilitated from residential care.
Assisting Familymakers, Gravesend (Catholic Children's Society), to formulate the theoretical base to their work, also regular team training and external supervisor to five members of staff.
Inspection of four Hounslow Children's Homes, two alone and two with newly appointed registration officers.
Tutor of course (28 days) for fifteen Kent residential child care workers certificated by Christ Church College Canterbury.
Accredited Independent Person (1989 Children Act, Complaints Procedure) with the Voice for the Child in Care; have been involved with a number of complaints.
Bromley College, placement finding (particularly for RCCI [Residential Child Care INSET] students), long-arm practice teacher, tutor for students on the DipSW course and some lecturing and so on.
London Borough of Lewisham, Registration and Inspection Unit, Locum Principal Registration and Inspection Officer, sessional employment to register the private children's homes in the Borough.
Training and consultancy to a number of private and voluntary children's homes.
Tutor on AWCEBD [Association of Workers for Children With Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties] accredited course on Behaviour Management. I am also:
Secretary of the London Branch and nationally Social Service Officer for the Association of Workers for Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.
Trustee of the Planned Environment Therapy Trust.
Active in the Voice of the Child in Care.
Manager (on the Management Board ) of:
- Knotley C.H.E [Children's Home with Education] - Barnardos
- The Haven Children's Home - Salvation Army
- Cabrini House for young people with a learning disability - Catholic Children's Society.
Chair of the Croydon Children's Advisory Committee for the Social Services Department, Inspection and Quality Assurance Unit.
Member of Salvation Army Training Advisory Group (until recently Chairperson).
Recently on Working Party London Borough of Bromley to formulate guidelines re allegations of abuse against "people who hold responsibility for children who are not their own."
