THE TEAM
IRENE A
FOUNDER
In 2013, Irene founded Social Work Bridges with the passion to help. After graduating with a Masters Degree in Social Work, she found a gap that she vowed to fill. She took it upon herself to develop Social Work Bridges, a social support network for students, newly qualified, interns and practicing social workers.
In a nutshell, she realised that there is a huge learning gap between studying social work at university and practicing in the 'REAL WORLD'. From positive meme's on Instagram to get you through the week, to interview prepping students, to one to one consultations with aspiring social workers, Irene laid the foundations of the organisation.
She later teamed up with two highly experienced social workers who shared her passion for students and wanting to make a change the journey's of social workers. With their wealth of knowledge, we have impacted the careers of many social workers.
Irene specialises in work relating to children, families and mental health. She has extensive experience in undertaking risk assessments, parenting assessments, viability assesments, Section 37 reports and section 7 reports. She has also undertaken child protection training,neglect training, working with difficult families training and a range of other specialised accrediated trainings.
WINNIE A
CO-FOUNDER
Winnie has a BA Hons in Social Work. She is a seasoned social worker who specialises in young children and families, Winnie started her social work journey as a support worker. From there she found her passion, and continued to work with different organisations supporting asylum seekers, refugees, young adults with learning difficulties and mental health issues.
After completing her final placement in an independent fostering agency, Winnie decided to pursue this sector further and currently works as part of a team delivering excellent social care. Winnie works as a fostering social worker, where she supervises foster carers to provide a stable and loving environment for looked after children.
Winnie has experience in delivering training to potential foster carers as well as existing foster carers. She has developed her knowledge on the minimum standards and fostering regulations, thus allowing her to carry out many Form F assessments and lead support groups for foster carers.
Winnie has undertaken a vast amount of training courses that covers a wide range of social work practices such as: skills to foster, child protection, signs of safety awareness, child sexual exploitation and safeguarding young children.
MARIAN B
CO-FOUNDER
Marian has extensive social work experience with children and families, adults and mental health care. Marian began her career working as a mental health support worker offering practical support to service users suffering with mental health. Marian then extended her social work experience and capacity to children and young people where Marian then became a school social worker offering family support to parents and their children and also taking responsibility for all child protection matters within the school. Marian was solely responsible for all secondary schools in a local East London Borough in regards to attendance and welfare.
Marian made the decision to become an Independent Social Worker alongside her EWO role and started to complete Form F assessments for prospective foster carers.
Marian then progressed her career as a Supervising Social Worker and is now currently working with family and friends carers focusing on Special Guardianship, parenting and viability assessments.
Marian has obtained a BSc in Social Work and has been trained in the following areas: Form F assessments, Safeguarding children from harm, domestic violence, working with violent and aggressive families, Child sexual exploitation, Unaccompanied minors, substance misuse and attachment, separation and loss.