Introducing the PCSFW Network Chair team
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We are delighted to introduce our Children and Families PSW Network Co-Chair team.
Sancha Thomas
With over 22 years of dedicated service at Luton Council, Sancha is a qualified social worker since 2017 and a committed practice educator. She is Co-Chair of the National Children and Families PSW Network.
‘My career has been shaped by a deep passion for creating meaningful changes within the social care system, promoting equality, and ensuring that the voices of children are heard and valued.
I particularly enjoy direct work with children, where I can build trust, offer support and advocate for their best interests. As both a practitioner and mentor I strive to inspire positive outcomes through reflective practice and systemic improvement’.
Leanne Morgan
Leanne is PSW for Children's Services and Head of Service for the Learning Academy at Torbay Council. She is Co-Chair of the National Children and Families PSW Network.
Leanne has spent the entirety of her career to date working within statutory Children’s Services. She is passionate about social work development and remaining curious and inquiring, framing her own practice on principals of social pedagogy and motivational interviewing.
With a strong lens on learning and practice development, Leanne has an interest in exploring lateral career pathways and keeping expertise and experience within the social work profession. She is committed to ensuring the voice of children and young people is actively sought, acknowledged, and contributes to positive action and change. In her free time, Leanne enjoys spending time with family, paddleboarding, and community activism.
Lisa Cummings
Lisa Cummings is PSW and Service Manager for Quality Assurance, Practice Development, and the Academy at Sefton Children’s Services. She is Co-Chair of the National Children and Families PSW Network.
With 30 years of experience across local authority, the third sector, further education, and Cafcass, she has worked as a practitioner, trainer, and leader. She is also a North West Child Sexual Abuse Practice Lead.
Lisa is passionate about sharing learning and good practice to help other local authorities enhance the experiences of children and families having been part of a significant improvement journey in Sefton. She is committed to amplifying the voices of those we support and works closely with multi-agency partners to make that happen.
A priority for Lisa is supporting practitioners and managers to do their best work —especially when it comes to nurturing Newly Qualified Social Workers.
Helen Lea
Helen is Principal Social Worker for Children and Young People’s Services at Liverpool City Council and Co-Vice Chair of the National Principal Social Worker Network. She is Vice Chair of the National Children and Families PSW Network.
Qualifying as a social worker in 2011, Helen has worked throughout her social work career in statutory Children’s Services. Prior to qualifying, she worked for a children’s charity and in higher education, experiences which shaped her belief in the importance of early support for families and networks, and in empowering young people to believe in themselves.
Helen has particular interests in practice improvement, staff wellbeing and relationship-based practice. She is passionate about making sure the voices and experiences of practitioners, children and families are central to decisions about how services develop and improve, and about bridging the gap between evidence, theory and the realities of everyday social work practice.
Outside of work, Helen can often be found baking cakes and treats friends and family or adventuring with her labrador across the Lake District
Shaista Afzal
Shaista is PSW for London Borough of Waltham Forest, having qualified as a social worker in 2003 from the University of Leeds. She is Vice Chair of the National Children and Families PSW Network.
'I have worked in statutory children’s safeguarding throughout my career. I began my career in Kirklees before moving to London in 2011.
Alongside my practice, I have continued my academic development, completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Child Welfare and Law at the University of Huddersfield, followed by an MA at Sheffield Hallam University. Last year, I completed my doctorate at the Tavistock and Portman, where my research explored the experiences of women who are both mothers and child protection social workers, and how these two roles intertwine. My interest in this area developed from my own experience of returning to social work after becoming a mother.
Outside of work, I love running, reading and eating out. I’ve just finished The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, which I literally could not put down - it was an extraordinary read. I’m now reading Fatima Bhutto’s memoir, which is proving to be another compelling read.
I’m really looking forward to taking on this role, connecting with colleagues from different parts of the country and, together, identifying the areas we want to focus on. I’m really looking forward to meeting you all and working together.'
Rob Fordyce
Rob is PSW for Children's Services for Kirklees Council, West Yorkshire. He is Vice Chair of the National Children and Families PSW Network.
'I was shocked to realise recently that I am approaching my 20 year anniversary as a social worker as it feels like no time at all since I started in a child protection team in Bradford.
I have loved being a social worker and I have taken something different from each of the roles I have fulfilled – from the rude awakening about the reality of social work in that child protection team, to the power of family networks whilst working as a FGC coordinator. It was during a ten-year spell at Cafcass that I took my first steps in to management and had the ability to see social work from a national perspective which really helped highlight the amazing practice in some local authorities. After four years as a PSW, I still feel like I am learning new things every day and that is exactly the way I like it.
When I am not working I love to get out in the hills of Yorkshire either on foot or on my bike and I love passing on my love of rugby to an under 13’s team that I help to coach.'