Penny Thompson
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Speaker Topics
- Wellbeing
- User Voice
- Systems Leadership
- Safeguarding
- Regulation
- Partnership Working
- Local Government
- Leadership
- Inspection
- Health - Primary Care Trust
- Childrens Social Services
- Childrens Services
- Childhood Safety
- Child Protection
- Child Poverty
Introduction
Penny is a historian by academic background; a Social Worker by profession and successful public services Leader-manager.
She practiced for 12 years as a Children’s social worker, specialising in Child Protection. Following the Child Abuse Crisis in Cleveland in 1987, Penny was appointed as a Principal Officer, Child Protection, and developed as a Senior Manager in Social Services, becoming Director of Social Services in Sheffield in 1998. She led that service out of “special measures” and played her corporate part in the 5-strong Executive Management team who achieved an excellence rating for Sheffield City Council in Audit Commission ratings in 2004.
As Chief Executive of the London Borough of Hackney between 2005 and 2007, Penny developed the Authority‘s improvement strategy and “fresh-started” its Local Strategic Partnership, ensuring its capacity to become a good authority gaining recognition for a sustainable “turn-around” in services and reputation.
Since mid-2007, Penny has established a Leadership Consultancy undertaking diverse assignments for Local Authorities; Ofsted; other Non Departmental Bodies and the NHS. These have included: reviews of organisational capability; specific inquiries and investigations; coaching; facilitation; executive recruitment, and interim management.
Current Positions Held
Co-Director of PeysnerThompson Ltd. - 2007 to date
Interim Deputy Chief Executive - NHS Haringey - Sept 08-June 09
Coach/mentor to Director of C4EO - 2008 to date
Personal Achievements and Awards
Over 20 years Penny has taken on a series of challenging leadership roles, which have shared the characteristics of requiring “recovery” from managerial and practice failures. She has regarded success to mean the development of authentic service improvement as judged by the users of services, and not just the judgment of regulators.
Her approach to improvement has been to develop an ambitious, engaging, leadership culture focussed on results and outcomes.
Her specialist area of interest and knowledge is Children’s services. Penny has championed the role of public services in breaking the vicious circle of disadvantage for vulnerable children, through strengthening universal services quite as much as equipping specialist services to intervene authoritatively
Relevant Career and Professional Background
Chief Executive - London Borough of Hackney, Jan 2005 – May 2007
Executive Director, Social Services - Sheffield City Council, Jan 1998 – Jan 2005
Asst. Director, Children & Families/Asst. Director Children & Adults Nottinghamshire County Council, Mar 1995 – Jan 1998
District Officer/Services Manager, Principal Officer, Child Protection
Cleveland County Council, July 1987 – Mar 1995
Social Worker - Sheffield City Council, 1981-1987
Social Worker - London Borough of Tower Hamlets, 1979-1981
Asst. Social Worker - London Borough of Tower Hamlets, 1975-1977