Karen is a Practice Development Advisor at CYCJ, leading on children’s rights, project managing the Children’s Rights Implementation Group (CRIG) and chairing the Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) subgroup. Karen has a key role developing rights-respecting practice for children and young people appearing at court and worked on the Re-Imagining Justice project, promoting needs led service design and the development of youth courts. Karen leads on Early and Effective Intervention work, including hosting the EEI quarterly EEI Forum. Karen is also developing guidance on supporting children and young people accused of terrorism offences or at risk of radicalisation, and before 2026 is out will support the delivery of START: AV and Contextual Safeguarding training.
As a qualified social worker Karen worked in Children and Families and Youth Justice teams before joining CYCJ in 2023. She also held various third sector community and residential roles with care experienced young people and those with addiction issues and served as a Children’s Hearing panel member.
Karen is passionate about improving justice approaches to working with those with neurodivergent conditions and SLCNs, in extending a developmentally informed approach to young people (aged18 to 25) at all points of the justice system, and increasingly about good data! Karen is SSSC registered and also works in another role supporting those involved in prostitution.