Our first blog in our Spotlight series!
Our spotlight blogs will not only help you get to know members of our wonderful team but also will give you an insight into the work they do and how they can help you with your case.
Our first interview is with our Panel Manager, Debbie Pedder.
Hi Debbie, so tell me a bit more about your job and what it entails.
The primary focus of the role is to plan and implement all activities relating to the timely and cost-effective supply of expert reports’. The main feature of the role is in developing, supporting and leading a team of very experienced Independent Social Worker’s and Parenting Practitioners, enabling them to develop the tools they need to undertake their role to the best of their abilities and providing our clients with the most comprehensive service we can.
I aim to develop new and innovative methods and tools that will make Advanced CCA stand out from the rest of their field of expertise and that will invigorate our workforce.
How did you get into this role at Advanced?
I qualified with a BA Honours and Diploma in Social Work from Lancaster University in 1999 and my initial role was that of an Education Welfare Officer. I subsequently worked within four different Local Authorities, working exclusively in Child and Family Services. I have undertaken all aspects of work focusing on Child Protection, Family Support, Looked After Children Services and Adoption. In 2004 I secured my ambition of becoming a Children’s Guardian and Independent Social Worker.
I have worked for Advanced Child Care Assessments for almost 16 years, having been recruited by Mark Webb as his first colleague. The option of ‘going it alone’ was never something I needed or wanted to consider and I have always valued the support that this role offered me. Indeed, this is something that I hope to embrace and promote as Panel Manager.
As the company grew and developed, new opportunities have arisen for me and I have almost naturally transitioned into the role. When the opportunity arose to make it my own, I did not hesitate and I approach it with enthusiasm and excitement.
The next chapter in Advanced CCA’s journey isn’t one we’re going to take alone.
We’ve recently become a part of the influential Handl Group. An acknowledged mover, shaker and serious investor in all elements of the legal sector. This new, innovative parent company has a knack for transforming its portfolio companies into market-leading organisations.
This latest evolution of our business prompted us to rethink and subsequently revamp our online presence to mirror this exciting new collaborative chapter in our continued timeline. Echoing our own philosophies and ethos, the Handl Group also strives for the very best possible outcome in every case, aligning entirely with our own long-held beliefs and aspirations.
You, yourself have such experience within social work, as you’ve worked in so many areas. How do you find working with and essentially managing a panel of so many independent social workers with different disciplines and experiences?
There is an absolute wealth of experience from within the Advanced Child Care Assessments workforce and each and every one of them brings something different to the company. It is a privilege to stand beside these dedicated individuals and harness their extensive expertise in order to develop new and exciting ideas that will contribute to the development of the company and effectively spotlight Advanced Child Care Assessments as pioneers.
It sounds like you’re really passionate about the work you do at Advance CCA. What is it particularly that you enjoy about your role?
I like to think of myself as a solution focussed practitioner. I have spent my career developing assessment tools and ideas to cultivate and inform the assessments I have undertaken. I have had the opportunity to incorporate some of those ideas as an Independent Social Worker for Advanced CCA and now, as Panel Manager, I can work with the team to get new ideas and incorporate them into the company’s practices. My passion has always been to provide sensitive and comprehensive assessments and to appreciate fully, the vulnerability of parents and their children within that process. That passion is shared by my colleagues and this is something that I value the most.
What do you think about the changes that Advanced have undertaken including the new branding and services. What do you think the future has in store for Advanced?
As the company grows and develops through an exciting integration with the handl Group, we find new ways of highlighting who we are, what we do and how unique we are within a competitive market. The new branding is an exciting opportunity to do just that. It offers a bold and bright image of innovation and professionalism and distinguishes the company from our competitors.
Moving forward, I firmly believe that the future is bright for Advanced CCA I have watched, and been a part of the company’s growth from the very beginning and I am extremely excited to be part of its future. There are many avenues to explore and many more opportunities for further growth.
Despite the challenges that we have all faced in the past 12 months, we have continued to flourish and this is a powerful representation of the dedication of our practitioners. They have made huge personal sacrifices and have been able to adjust the way that they work in order to continue to fulfil their roles within such a difficult time. As we emerge from a global pandemic, the future has never been so exciting!
