Charmaine Malcolm, Assistant Director and Principal Child and Family Social Worker
I took up the role of Assistant Director and Principal Child and Family Social Worker in May 2025, following eight months in the interim position.
My career spans both statutory and early help services, and prior to joining Havering, I served as Principal Social Worker and Head of Professional Practice in another local authority.
Over the years, I have worked across residential care homes, parenting assessment centres, referral and assessment, family support, child protection (including court work), early help and intervention, and multi-agency safeguarding hubs.
I have also led child protection conferences and independent reviewing services.
My contributions extend to fostering panels, recruitment boards, mock and live Ofsted inspections, Department for Education reviews, and multi-agency audits. I am experienced in both Signs of Safety and Systemic Practice.
Children are at the heart of my practice and leadership, and serving them to the best of my ability is my greatest accountability.
I am passionate about transforming teams to deliver consistently excellent social work, and I continue to share my experience externally through mentoring and coaching.
My heritage is Jamaican, Grenadian, and British and this grounds me in leading with cultural humility, authenticity, and courage.
Drawing on systemic approaches such as social graces, I strive to build inclusive services where diversity is respected, relationships are central, and practice is ambitious and reflective.
My leadership style is open, clear, and communicative, with respect as the essential ingredient to healthy relationships.
I believe in strong quality assurance frameworks that strengthen leadership, oversight, and practice for children and families.