Our Team

Kathryn Hawley

Kathryn qualified as a social worker in 2012. She completed her Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) at Barnsley Council where she worked in the Community Learning Disability Team. Kathryn moved to become a social work practitioner in Kirklees Council Community Learning Disability Team in 2014 and subsequently became a team manager. She combines her local authority role with part-time work for Alder Advice as a consultant social worker.

At Kirklees Council Kathryn is now a team manager responsible for planning, co-ordinating and leading a targeted high needs review project, focusing on progression and outcomes for individual service users. In her role she has implemented effective paperwork, processes and pathways to support the project. In addition, she has delivered training and mentored staff in completing reviews and re-assessments to high standard, and provided shadowing opportunities to team members/managers to support their work. 

Kathryn became a qualified Best Interests Assessor in 2017. This qualifies her to work lawfully within the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), the Mental Health Act 1983, the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS, MCA 2005), and their respective codes of practice, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

 Kathryn’s work with Alder Advice has included:

  • Undertaking reviews of high cost placements on behalf of the local authority.
  • Providing training and development to staff in assessment methods, which has involved delivery of round-table training, coaching, and observed practice mentoring.
  • Providing quality assurance to ensure that reassessments undertaken by council staff meet the required standard.

Kathryn is an expert in practical application of the “Progression” model and its use in supporting people with a learning disability and dual diagnosis to live more independently.  She has particular strengths in working effectively with service users, carers and their families.