Meet the Team
NLCBF Core Staff
The Core staff manage the day-to-day running of the Forum and are all home-based, around the country. This team is made up of Hannah McCowen, NLCBF Manager; Darren Bishton, Practice Lead; Nat Obrien – Coproduction & Engagement Lead; Toni McClelland-Couchman, Digital Marketing and Events Officer, Joseph Shaw our Team Administrator and Jade Kieft, Participation Officer.
Care Experienced Sessional Workers
We have 8 Sessional Workers who work with the team to co-design and deliver all of our events. They will also work with partner agencies and local authorities to plan and deliver consultations and workshops for care experienced individuals and the professionals that support them.
YPBMF Care Experienced Champions
Our YPBMF Champions are volunteers who work with our sessional workers and the wider team to co-produce our events. Champions are nominated by Local Authorities, following their participation in YPBMF events.
Steering Group
The NLCBF Steering Group is made up of Leaving Care Managers and a YPBMF Representative. They meet three times a year and oversee the direction and operations of the Forum.
Stakeholder Group
The NLCBF Stakeholder group meets three times a year and is made up of representatives from across the leaving care sector who can bring a wider perspective to support the Forum’s development.
Catch22
The National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum is managed by the Charity Catch22, which designs and delivers public services that build resilience and aspiration in people and communities. This means that the Forum benefits from the charity’s oversight, expertise around communications and policy, support from their Partnerships, HR and Finance teams.
