Cheryl Kane

Background

About Cheryl Kane

I am an experienced and competent worker who has worked in Local authorities, the independent sector, and other services supporting children, young people, and families. I have a strong interest in developing best practices and empowering families. I am motivated to drive forward service development to ensure children are safe and can achieve positive outcomes in areas of their lives. I have a number of skills, experience and knowledge, having worked across different social care settings with young people for over 17 years. A key strength I am proud of is being able to develop positive and meaningful relationships with young people and staff. This includes working with parents and children and supporting the role of foster carers. Key achievements include: • Supporting teenage pregnant school-aged girls/parents to reintegrate back into the classroom following having a baby. This helped prevent disaffection and social exclusion and supported their academic journey through education. • Signposted older parents in foster care to other services such as drug and alcohol services, housing and health services. • Providing emotional and practical advice, support and advocacy for foster carer in their support, supervision and assessment of parents and children in placement. I have also developed specific programmes of support for agencies. For example, developing and implementing a ‘Transitioning into independence programme’, which has been incorporated into the two previous agencies I have worked for. Specific topics/themes include budgeting, CV writing, interview techniques, well-being and safer care, keeping safe and understanding benefits and allowances. In working with young people, I have developed relationships that promote all areas of inclusion, recognising diversity and difference in our community. Working with young people’s strengths has empowered many young people to feel confident and develop a sense of self-worth as well as accessibility to resources and entitlement. Some young people I have supported experience learning difficulties and needed extra time or alternative ways to engage with learning materials. This includes exploring sensory activities or sourcing interpreters to assist with their understanding. I am fully aware of the importance of diversifying ways to support young people. I have worked with numerous children and young people from different cultural and religious backgrounds where English is not their first language.