Catherine Rushforth
Catherine Rushforth has been working in the Children’s Services for 38 years. She is a life-long advocate for heart-centred practice, where Practitioners deliver warm, professionally boundaries support to children and their families.
In fact, Catherine has quite a great deal to say about the emotional intelligence in the workforce! She has been involved in the Early Years Champions Group at Westminster, informing the development of MP’s understanding of very early child development, now reflected in the cross-party Manifesto document the First 1001 Critical Days.
Catherine has led an esteemed group of experts in the production of Conception to Age 2: The Age of Opportunity 2013, for the WAVE Trust and Department for Education; Has received referrals from the Ministry of Justice to assist organisations involved in working with the most vulnerable young people in Youth Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres and Children’s Homes; Works extensively with the Homeless Sector along with CEO’s who provide for those with the most complex of needs, often manifest over the full life course.
Catherine has a deep understanding of human development from the pre-birth period to older age, including the key ways in which poor emotional attachment, neglect and abuse interrupts and derails healthy relationships, life opportunities and happiness.
She is known as an innovative and dynamic thought-leader who inspires professionals to own the full breadth of their safeguarding responsibilities with a genuine professional competence and confidence.