About us

The three core members of Forward4Families each have in excess of twenty years Family Group Conference experience and thirty-nine years post-qualifying Social Work experience.

Professionally, our background includes:

• Children’s Guardian
• Social Work Management
• Independent Reviewing
• Training
• Independent Social Work
• Counselling
• Dispute Resolution
• Family Therapy
• Restorative Justice
• Mediation
• Complaints Investigation

Lillian Bernadine - Director:

Master's Degree - Personal Social Services and Management – Child Care (1988). CQSW, Dip in Social Work (1983), Dip Socio-Legal Studies (1984). FGC Training (1998). Institute of Leadership and Management Accredited Organisational and Personal Coach (2009).

Lillian has over twenty-seven years experience as a Social Work Practitioner, Manager and Independent Reviewing Officer in Local Authority Child Protection Work.

Lillian is currently an Independent Social Worker, Social Work and Management Consultant, Children’s Guardian, Personal Development and Executive Coach and Trainer.

Sue Hammond: - Consultant

Sue has a Diploma in Psycho-Dynamic Counselling (1993), Family Mediation/Conflict Resolution (2007), Certificate in Family Therapy (1990), Parenting Skills Training, Webster-Stratton Model (2003), Family Group Conference Co-ordinator (2000).

Sue has in excess of 30 years experience working with children and families.

Ruth Seal - Consultant:

FGC Training (2000), Certificate in Family Therapy (1979), BA (1970), CQSW, Diploma in Social Work (1977)

Ruth is an Independent Social Worker and Manager and also volunteers for the NSPCC as a telephone counsellor. Ruth has in excess of thirty years front line Social Work experience as a Children’s and Families Social Worker, Manager and Independent Reviewing Officer.

Other staff:

We are supported by professionals from diverse backgrounds including Social Work, Family Therapy, Psychotherapy, Training, Social Work Education, Cafcass and Mediation. All our staff are DBS checked. Professionally qualified staff are Social Work England registered.

F4F maintains a rigorous approach to quality assurance, which is reflected in the Policies and Procedures of the organisation. These include:

Policies and Procedures

F4F operate a number of Policies and Procedures including;

• Equal Opportunities and Diversity
• Safeguarding
• Recruitment and Selection
• Monitoring and Supervision
• Quality Management Systems
• Routine collection and analysis of Customer, Professional and Service User Evaluations

F4F adheres to the Social Work England code of practice for Social Care Workers in addition to the BASW Code of Ethics for Social Work.