Bernie O’brien is a registered social work practitioner with over 30 years experience across a range of Children’s Services. Working as Principal Social Worker she has had accountability for the delivery of high-quality social work practice and has a successful record in staff development. In this role Bernie has developed a Social Work Academy for newly qualified social workers and designed and delivered the training and development programme for social worker assessed and supported first year.
Bernie has substantial expertise in designing and delivering Safeguarding training in a multi-agency context. She also has extensive experience of supporting social work teams to ensure social workers know how to respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns, identify their safeguarding responsibilities and role with in the multi-agency context and increasing awareness of factors indicating that a child may be at risk.
Bernie has a keen focus on Children’s participation, direct work with children, capturing the child’s voice and lived experience and has experience of delivering training in reflective supervision, group supervision and supervision in a multi-agency context and management oversight.
She is deeply committed to raising standards in social work and is a credible and competent professional with the experience, commitment, and vision to promote best practice as well as bringing to her training exceptional communication skills.
