Dr Chris Jones Expand Professional backgroundI am currently employed as a lecturer at the University of Strathclyde undertaking research, teaching and knowledge exchange activities. My research focuses on child abuse and neglect, adoptive families and disabled children. I am also Course Leader for the BA Education and Social Services, an innovative degree programme that responds to the Scottish Government’s agenda around integrated services. I originally trained as an occupational therapist and worked with adults and children with learning disabilities and mental health issues. Personal/professional interest in adoptionMy interest in adoption comes from both my personal experience as an adoptive parent and my professional experience as an adoption researcher. I am currently undertaking a study of sibling relationships of children in long-term foster care and adoption and have recently completed research on the views and experiences of abused Deaf and disabled young people who come into contact with the child protection system. I am also part of a collaboration between the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde, the Fostering Network and Quarriers exploring barriers and enablers of permanency for disabled children. I am a member of the Coram BAAF Research Group Advisory Committee. HobbiesI am a novice runner and a keen but incompetent knitter.
Gerry McMurtie Expand Professional backgroundCurrent post: Senior Professional Advisor for the Rights Respecting School Award with UNICEF UK. I lead the award in Scotland, we have over 50% of schools in Scotland working on the award. The basis of the award is to ensure schools are promoting a children’s rights ethos across the curriculum, with pupil and staff relationships, and engaging with parents/carers and wider community. Previously: Worked as a Children’s Rights Officer for a Local Authority – specialised in promoting children’s rights and ensuring children’s rights featured in policy developments. I was also a member of the LA Fostering and Adoption Panel. Also worked as a Throughcare and Aftercare Development Officer in a LA. I worked with Looked After and Accommodated young people, particularly looking at transitions from school, into work, further education and moving into own accommodation. I also worked with Homelessness (including young people) and was disturbed to find the link between homeless, prison population and young people who had experienced care settings. Personal/professional interest in adoptionI adopted two boys (siblings) in 2011. At the time they were 4 and 7. It has been life changing and although it is the best thing we have ever done, it also comes with challenges. I could not imagine a more perfect match, and we have managed to create a very close family bond. We have a wonderful relationship with the boy’s sisters and their foster carers, and have become a big family who holidays together! I am particularly keen to promote adoption of siblings and older children. HobbiesIt’s all about the children now! We really enjoy our holidays and going on day trips together. We enjoy going for long walks, getting on our bikes and trying new restaurants. I also have a love of the cinema, one that has rubbed off on the boys ;-) When I have some time, which isn’t often – I love nothing more than reading a good book. Particularly interested in crime/thriller. I also love going to the theatre and watching a good band live.
Ian Burdett Expand Professional backgroundSocial worker with Fostering and Adoption Service, East Lothian Council since 2012. Previously employed as a social worker in Children and Families Team in Edinburgh 2005-2012. Adoption and Permanence Panel Member with Midlothian council (also previously with Edinburgh) Personal/professional interest in adoptionAdoptive parent (and member of Adoption UK since 2007) HobbiesDog walker, taxi service and cheerleader for my children. Hill walking - when I get a chance. Running. Watching and playing football.
Robert Swift (Chair) Expand Professional background Robert Swift trained as a social worker in the 1970s. After qualifying he worked with children and families in Cumbria before a period of voluntary service overseas in Malaysia. He later worked in Edinburgh and the Lothians before moving to South Lanarkshire in 2011 where he was Head of Children and Justice services and Chief Social Work Officer. Personal/professional interest in adoptionRobert has always had a keen interests in fostering and adoption, both as a practitioner and a manager. He has chaired fostering and adoption panels and has been agency decision maker for various organisations. He chaired the Social Work Scotland sub group on fostering and adoption for many years. Though now retired Robert continues to be involved in fostering and adoption matters with a number of voluntary organisations and local authorities. Robert is an adoptive parent and is the author of Adopting a Child in Scotland, published by BAAF.
Robin Duncan Expand Executive Director of AFA Scotland and theRegister Manager of Scottish Adoption Register Professional backgroundI qualified as a social worker in 1988 via a circuitous route – first becoming a Chartered Surveyor and then working in youth projects and in residential child care. As a social worker I worked for Barnardos, establishing a residential project for children who had previously been in long stay hospital, before moving to Dundee City Council’s fostering and adoption service and subsequently managing their permanence team. Prior to my current post, I worked for more than 10 years as a child care manager for Angus Council. I now divide my time between two roles – Manager of Scotland’s Adoption Register and Director of AFA Scotland (Adoption & Fostering Alliance). Personal/professional interest in adoptionEarly on in my social worker career I was involved in helping to find foster carers and adoptive parents for some of the children I was working with in residential child care. It was seeing the transformational impact that this could have on the children’s lives and the opportunities that could open up for them, that motivated me to work directly in adoption services. It also left me with an enduring belief that given the right support, adoption offers many children a much brighter future than the alternatives available in the care system. HobbiesLots of outdoor and active interests such as skiing and sailing which I do less often than I might like, partly because of an absorbing project over the last 6 years doing up a little cottage on a West coast island and enjoying the challenges of life without mains water and electricity!
Rose White Expand Professional backgroundI have many years experience of working in the National Health Service, initially as a nurse and then as a Senior Manager at an Operational and Strategic level. My most resent post was in Strategic Planning at Health Board level and where I was involved in the planning of the new Children and Young Peoples Hospital. I now work as the organiser of a small charity providing a lunch/social club for older people. This has given me knowledge and understanding of working in the third sector and the rewards and challenges this brings. Personal/professional interest in adoptionAs an experienced adoptive parent, I live with the impact of my sons neglect from conception until when he was accommodated at 2 years of age. This early trauma presents him (and us) with challenges every day. On the other hand, we also live with the joy and fun that being his parents brings! There seems to be an increasing understanding that the children we adopt are not the relinquished babies of the past but rather children who have been accommodated due to neglect. The impact of early trauma on their development is now beginning to be understood and acknowledged. The Scottish Governments emphasis on increasing awareness on the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how this relates to adopted children gives us the opportunities to seek increased support and understanding for adoptive families. Since becoming an adoptive parent, changing the public and politicians perceptions of adoption and the impact of early trauma has become a focus of mine. I feel that we are at a pivotal time in terms of being able to influence this agenda for adoption in Scotland and I want to be part of the work that moves this forward. HobbiesAs a family, we love to go out together, walking and in particular, visit beaches or just spending time together. We also like to spend time with our extended family, visiting, cooking and having fun together. For self care, I like to walk, alone or with company, and near the beach if possible.