Background
Gretchen Precey brings an extensive background in social work to her training and consultancy work.
A qualified social worker since 1977 Gretchen has had experience in a variety of settings over various parts of the country as both a practitioner and a manager.
Since leaving statutory work in 1999 to establish her independent practice Gretchen has successfully combined a comprehensive training schedule with clinical work, both direct assessment work with children and families and consultancy to practitioners. This gives her the benefit of keeping a base in practice that is invaluable in ensuring that her training courses are relevant and practical. The attention to developments in research and Government policy initiatives required to keep training up-to-date means that her clinical work has a sound evidence base and is located within current policy frameworks.
Gretchen is a skilled communicator whose training presentation style has been widely praised by course participants. As a consultant and expert witness she is known for the quality, reliability and professionalism of her work.
She combines this with a continuing academic interest in the field. Gretchen was awarded an MSc in Child Studies from Kings College London in 2001. Whilst still working for the local authority she had an interest in theoretical issues and published papers in a number of journals. This desire to contribute to the national debate about child welfare practice continues, as witness her extensive list of publications.
It is Gretchen’s belief in the value of social work as a profession and the importance of promoting good practice both in her own clinical work and in extending the benefit of her experience to others through training that was the incentive for Gretchen to work independently. Her enthusiasm, thoughtfulness and dedication to the task of safeguarding children and young people infuses all the work she undertakes.