CV

PERSONAL DETAILS

GRETCHEN PRECEY BA (Hons) CQSW; MA (Child Studies)
INDEPENDENT SOCIAL WORKER, CONSULTANT and TRAINER

Date of Birth: 21/10/51

Mobile 07776071178

SWE Registration SW85363

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

1975 BA(Hons) Sociology, University of Leeds
1977 C.Q.S.W. and Diploma in Applied Social Studies, University of Leeds
1994 Certificate in Group Analysis, University of Sussex
2001 Masters Degree (Child Studies) Kings College London

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Currently Director – Gretchen Precey Social Work Services Ltd.
1997.1999 Manager- Clermont Child Protection Unit, Brighton
1992.1997 Senior Practitioner-Clermont Child Protection Unit, Brighton
1988.1991 Senior Practitioner-Norfolk Social Services, Children and Families Team
1986.1988 Social Worker- Norfolk Social Services, Children and Family Team
1977.1979 Social Worker- Bradford Child Guidance Clinic
1975.1976 Social Worker- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. James Hospital, Leeds

EXPERTISE

Gretchen has detailed knowledge and skills in the following areas

Training

  • Assessment Skills (including specific training on the Assessment Framework)
  • Fabricated or Induced Illness (Signs and Indicators, assessment and management of cases)
  • Practice Skills for Social Care staff including supervision, developing empathic practice and working in partnership with families
  • Direct Work and Communication with Children
  • Basic Child Protection Awareness Skills
  • Working with Sexual Abuse (work with perpetrators, family dynamics, issues for child victims)
  • Investigative Interviewing (including Best Evidence guidelines)
  • Mental Health and Child Protection
  • Supervision and Assessment Skills for Managers
  • Communicating and Consulting with Disabled Children
  • Disability and Child Protection
  • Risk Assessment in the Supervision and Management of Complex Cases
  • Improving Skills in Report Writing
  • Effective Use of Evidence Based Practice

Consultation

  • Specialist investigative interviewing with disabled children
  • Assessment of Contact between children and parents
  • Supervision and Assessment of especially complex child protection cases
  • Supervision and Assessment of cases involving Fabricated of Induced Illness
  • Serious Case Reviews Independent Overview Reports
  • Inquiries into concerns about social work practice

Direct Work

  • Wishes and feelings work with children
  • Therapeutic work with children and adults (especially in the aftermath of sexual abuse)
  • Face to face assessment work in specific aspects of child protection work
  • Assessment of applications by perspective adoptive parents

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • Member: British Association of Social Workers (BASW)
  • Member: Association of Child Protection Professionals (AoCCP)
  • Member: National Association of Guardians ad Litem and Reporting Officers (Nagalro)
  • Registered Social Work England (reg no. SWE 85363)
  • Associate: WillisPalmer
  • Independent Social Work Supervisor: AG Family Support

PUBLICATIONS

  • On First Encountering Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: A Guide for Beginners (1995) in Trust Betrayed? Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, inter-agency child protection and partnership with families. J. Horwath and B. Lawson (eds.), National Childrens Bureau, London
  • Assessment issues in working with mothers who induce illness in their children (1998) Child and Family Social Work, 3, pp 227-237
  • Children with a Parent who has a Mental Health Problem in NSPCC-Turning Points: A Resource Pack for Communicating with Children (1997)
  • Building Bridges: the Interface Between Adult Mental Health and Child Protection (1999) Child Abuse Review Vol.8 num. 2 (co-authored with Charmian Tye, Child Protection Adviser, South Downs NHS Trust)
  • Child Protection Concerns When Questioning Children in Children’s Testimony in Context H. (2001) Westcott and R. Bull (eds.) Wiley, Chichester
  • Children at Risk of Illness Induction or Fabrication (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy): How Helpful is the Assessment Framework? Assessment in Child Care (2003), M.C. and Hackett, S (eds) Russell House Publishing, Lyme Regis, Dorset
  • Is the Frame Working? Reflections on Four Years of the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families Seen and Heard, Vol 13. Issue 3 2003-2004
  • The Fabrication or Induction of Illness in Children with Complex Needs: views from practice with Karen Smith; Practice December 2004
  • Understanding the Change for Children Agenda: The discerning gourmet’s guide to acronym soup Representing Children: A quarterly Journal for all those concerned with the Rights and Welfare of children and Young People, (2006) Vol. 18 No. 3
  • Understanding the Origins, Development and Implementation of the Common Assessment Framework: The Story So Far Seen and Heard, Vol 16 Issue 2, June 2006
  • ‘The Common Assessment Framework’ Community Care Inform (online information service) October 2007

  • ‘Parents of Children at Risk-A Multi-Agency Initiative to Address Substance Misuse amongst Parents whose Children are at Risk of Neglect’ (co-authored with J. Welsh and P. Lambert) Child Abuse Review, Vol 17 454-462 November-December 2008 

  • ‘Understanding the Risk to Children in Whom Illness is Fabricated or Induced’ Community Care Inform (online information service) May 2008 (updated September 2019)