About Kirwin Maclean

 What We Do

 Who We Are

What We Do

Whilst Kirwin Maclean Associates Limited is most well known as a publisher, we also provide a range of other services as follows.

Commissioned Writing

Whatever your needs - ranging from induction programmes for direct care staff to specific learning areas for social workers and managers - we can provide an excellent distance/open learning option.

We have devised a range of open learning programmes for a variety of health and social care providers including:

  Induction material for staff working in older people’s services and learning disability services (linking to Common Induction Standards and NVQ units)

  Material on sexuality for adults with learning disabilities (linking to a range of awards including NVQ and PQSW).

  NVQ related material for staff working in learning disability services.

  A sexual abuse prevention programme for service users with learning disabilities.

  Practice Assessor handbooks and distance learning programmes.

Many organisations are now moving away from direct training recognising the flexibility that open and distance learning material provides.

Combining our years of training experience with our writing skills, we are the ideal organisation to write your open learning programmes.

If you are interested in discussing our work in this area, please contact us.

Training

Siobhan is actively involved in developing and delivering training and a number of our Associate writers are also experienced in providing training. We can design and deliver training in a number of areas, including:

  Theory and Practice in NVQs

  The Legal Framework in health and social care

  Practice Teacher/Practice Assessor training

  NVQ Assessor training

Our clients include City and Guilds, local authorities, colleges, NVQ networks, Universities, providers of health and social care services in the independent sector and independent training agencies.

For more information about our training services, please contact us.

Research and Consultancy

Siobhan and our senior Associate, Bridget Caffrey, have carried out a number of research, consultancy and development projects for organisations including local authorities, health care providers and Skills for Care.

Our background, experience and networks, matched with our consultancy and writing skills, places us in an ideal position to carry out a range of projects for your organisation.

For a no obligation discussion about your needs, please contact us.

Conferences

Who We Are

Kirwin Maclean Associates Limited is managed by:

Siobhan Maclean BA CQSW PQSW (Company Director)

Siobhan qualified as a social worker in 1990.

She has worked in a variety of settings including children's services, learning disability services and mental health services. She has been a foster carer, an approved social worker and a practice teacher.

Siobhan now manages Kirwin Maclean Associates Limited. She acts as a researcher, trainer and consultant for a range of social care and social work organisations.

Siobhan is the European Honorary Secretary for the International Federation of Social Workers.

Muriel Kirwin

Muriel has worked in retail businesses and has managed businesses for over 30 years. Muriel is committed to providing the best possible service for our customers.

Catherine Docherty

Catherine is skilled in Word Processing, Desktop Publishing and the creation of presentation materials. Catherine is responsible for formatting our publications and for assisting with conference preparation.

Associates

We work with a number of Associate Writers and Consultants:

Senior Associate

Bridget Caffrey B.Sc., M.A.

Bridget originally qualified as a nurse and then retrained as a social worker. She has over 20 years experience of working in the health and social care fields.

She lives with her family in Cheshire and currently works in various roles related to training social workers.

Other Associates

Fern Basnett BSc MA CQSW

Fern has worked in the health and social care field for over 20 years.

She currently works both as an independent consultant and as a University lecturer.

Fern has travelled widely and with her family and now settled back within her home town of Stoke-on-Trent.

Peter Connors

Peter Connors is an independent trainer and is Director of Q Training, a health and social care training provider and NVQ Assessment Centre which he set up and manages. He had previously been Head of Learning and Development at a large Bristol based voluntary organisation and he has also been an operational manager for services for people with learning disability. He has a Management MA together with a Diploma in Management Studies and is an experienced NVQ Assessor and Internal Verifier.

Dave Drayton-Green RMN CQSW

Dave originally qualified as a nurse. After working for some years in the health service, he went back to university to become a qualified social worker.

Dave is currently a social work team manager. He has an interest in working with people with mental health problems and alcohol or drug dependency.

Rob Harrison

Rob has worked in the voluntary sector since 1996 and has worked with several students as an on site supervisor. He completed his Practice Teaching Award in 2006 and has enjoyed acting as a Practice Assessor for several further students, both on and off site. Rob has a particular interest in social work and practice learning in voluntary organisations and children's services, and in making theory accessible and relevant for students and practice assessors.

Rita Hannah Langton DipSW, BA (Hons), Dip CCL&P, MA Child Care Law and Practice, AASW

Rita worked in a variety of social care settings with older people, people with mental health problems, adults with disabilities and children with disabilities prior to qualifying as a social worker in the late 1990s.

Her post qualifying social work experience has been in child protection work. Rita has contributed to the learning of other professionals and hence the experiences and outcomes for service users by completing the Practice Teachers Award and lecturing in Universities.

Rita’s favourite expression is "knowledge is power".

Ian Lloyd

Ian has had extensive experience in residential childcare prior to qualifying in 2000. Following qualification Ian worked as an approved social worker and specialised in older people’s mental health, whilst developing his interests in adult learning.

From supervising social work degree students and qualifying as a practice teacher he is now working independently as a practice assessor and works part time for a Midlands based charity.

Ian also works with Universities in preparing level 2 and level 3 students for their practice learning opportunities.

Mark Shiner

Mark Shiner qualified in social work in 1992 and after working with children and families, he began specialising in work with young people leaving care.

This also involved the development of supported housing schemes and producing training materials for young people and workers in both written and video formats. He subsequently managed a children's home in the Orkney Islands.

Since 2002 Mark has worked independently, producing various written materials concerned with policy and law and currently writes a quarterly internet column on new legislation.

He also makes harps.

Helen Welsh

Helen Welsh is a social worker with a background in residential care as well as fieldwork, and a substantial experience in the learning and development field.

She has an ongoing commitment to services for Older people and is currently working on the development of Evidence Based Practice to support staff working in the Older People’s Service in Fife Council.