Meet the Team

Celina

Creative, passionate about “What works” in evidence-based social work practice and safeguarding.

Celina has worked for the last 16 years as a qualified social work practitioner in various fields, these include working in local authority child protection, CAFCASS as a Children’s Guardian and for the last three years as an independent social worker undertaking a range of assessments as an expert witness in the context of immigration and family courts.  Celina’s role also includes undertaking complaints investigations for local authorities in accordance with The Children Act 1989 Representation Procedure (England) Regulations 2006.  Celina is a qualified lead reviewer having completed the Significant Incident Learning Process (SILP) Lead Reviewers Course and has commenced work in this area of practice in relation to a Safeguarding Adult Review involving overdose, mental health, drugs, and domestic abuse. 

Celina regularly receives high levels of positive feedback in her work. She is also subject to a current review of outstanding practice from one local authority to act as a learning example for other practitioners. Following on she has worked to develop a partnership approach with a London Local Authority and Local Authorities in Greater Manchester in relation to No Recourse to Public Fund cases she has co-ordinated.  This involved working with children and families from a number of different countries and contexts and where domestic abuse features and developing important partnerships by service mapping and working with domestic abuse charities, Women’s Aid, IDVA’s (Independent Domestic Abuse Advisers) and other key agencies to apply the statutory guidance dated July 2018 in relation to Working Together to Safeguard Children.  Celina has also undertaken work in Uganda with an NGO and the Ugandan government developing a foster care programme.

Celina is committed to the safeguarding of children and is able to get to the heart of the pertinent issues present and believes that critical analysis and review are crucial to achieving the highest levels of safeguarding practice.  One of her strengths is the ability to analyse information and formulate appropriate plans at both individual cases and at a strategic level. Within her role as an expert witness and independent Social Worker, Celina has worked to ensure the best outcomes for children. This has included a range of issues in relation to complex cases and a child’s welfare addressing risks in cases featuring non-accidental injuries, fabricated illnesses, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional harm, honour-based violence, child sexual exploitation, drugs and alcohol misuse.  This work also involved advocating on behalf of children who were migrant or refugee children from a variety of backgrounds including from the Roma and travelling community, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, Egypt as well as a number of other nations. 

 Celina enjoys spending time with family and friends and loves being in the outdoors and walking in the countryside. Celina is also an avid skier. When possible, Celina loves travel and spending time living in other cultures with a heart for international development during her free time.