Eleanor Brazil

Former DCS and current DfE Children's Services Commissioner

I have worked with INGSON in a number of authorities during quite challenging times, including Dudley, Lambeth and Stoke on Trent. Their absolute focus on improving the quality of social work practice to secure better outcomes for children has without doubt helped front-line staff and managers to make significant improvements. They help practitioners understand what needs to change and to benefit from their support to help them do so. Both John and Suzi bring extensive knowledge and experience, and use that in a positive and enabling way. They provide continuous analysis and feedback to senior managers to help inform them on wider changes needed to enable practice to improve. I am always happy to recommend them.

Gladys Rhodes White OBE

Director of Children

As an experienced Director of Children (DCS), I have worked in a number of Authorities ranging from those rated ‘Inadequate Ofsted’ to ‘Outstanding’. This has involved working with many consultants and improvement partners. It is refreshing to come across people like Suzi and John (INGSON) who deliver consultancy services that are of the highest quality. They work well as a team and offer advice, support, and practical solutions to a range of social care challenges.

I worked with INGSON on a project in an Authority that was subject to a statutory notice to improve. They helped to design an innovative, bespoke programme of improvement involving front-line social workers and managers. It was a huge task that required clear planning, well-orchestrated interventions and effective communication with front-line staff, senior managers and external scrutineers. The programme was intensive and required INGSON to audit, quality assure, assess, and coach social workers to deliver good quality case work and supervision on a monthly scrutinised programme of intense improvement. They developed constructive working relationships to help staff to understand what ‘good’ looks like and how to achieve it, either as a front-line practitioner or a manager. In addition to individual and team coaching they provided examples of best practice, training videos and expertise on what constitutes good and outstanding work with children and families.

INGSON’s approach is methodical and reliable, but they are also flexible and responsive to changing requirements and demands. I found them an absolute pleasure to work with. They demonstrated a real empathy for workers and children and families – wanting the best outcomes for the staff and the children. Their passion for good social work is at the heart of what they do. I can highly recommend them.

Helen Fergusson

Head of Children’s Social Care Durham

We have commissioned INGSON on a number of occasions over the past four years to support us with quality improvement and auditing work. They have always provided an extremely helpful lens on a range of practice issues, and have supported us to develop our robust auditing process. John and Suzi’s sound understanding of context, sharp focus on relevant issues, and ability to engage and communicate with all layers of the organisation, means that their feedback is always well received and has real impact. They have added real value to our improvement work and our drive and ambition to develop a learning culture within our organisation.

Stuart Gallimore

Director of Children's Service

INGSON was initially engaged to assist West Sussex Children’s Social Care to improve the consistency and quality of Social Work practice. To this end John and Suzi undertook a diagnostic assessment of how the service functioned. On the basis of this report, they then ran a series of workshops to ensure that a greater understanding of social work practice and standards was embedded. Suzi and John have also reported to the Improvement Board on work undertaken. I cannot recommend them too highly to you.

Felicity Budgen

Acting Head of Service, Safeguarding

I am very happy to tell anyone how brilliant you both have been with staff, managers, Members, and The Director. I have been impressed with your clear and balanced report. The fact that you were able to offer solutions immediately was so impressive. The work you have been able to do with managers and staff has been really useful. It has made a difference and all staff are clear about practice and processes. It has also helped managers set targets and address poor performance. Pleased to speak to anyone!

Steve Edwards

Service Director

Over the last two years Nottinghamshire County Council has worked with INGSON to improve its Children’s Social Care function. Both Suzi and John are experienced consultants who have provided very high quality, sector specialist children’s social care support to us. The input and support provided by Ingson has been a very effective catalyst for positive change. I am sure that we will continue to benefit from their input.