Pat teachers across all years of the Children Schools and Families BA. With particular expertise in the undergraduate dissertation research, Pat leads the L6 dissertation module, along with the applied learning modules focussing on services and systems within wider children's services and L4 work placement module.
Pat moved into higher education following nearly 26 years in practice with children, young people and families in schools, local authorities and the voluntary sector. Pat's professional experience covers working in statutory and third sector organizations across the education, social care, housing and children's services.
After completing initial teacher training in the community schools of Coventry, Pat taught in a secondary school east London before moving into youth and community development work in Merseyside, and north east Wales. Pat has extensive experience of working with young people. This includes developing and managing a Foyer housing young people aged 16 – 25; leading a county Children’s 16-15 Service for Barnardo’s working with homeless young people and managing a leaving care service. Within a Local Authority, Pat was the county commissioner for youth work and Connexions services for four years.
The extensive background in integrated and partnership work with vulnerable children, young people and families led to a senior Local Authority leadership role as a Head of Local Services, managing integrated statutory provision including child and family support and multi-agency front door assessment of needs and developing preventative and universal work with schools and partners. A thread through all of this work has been young people and education. Several roles have carried responsibility for training and workforce development.
Pat joined York St John University as a Senior Lecturer in Education and was responsible for developing and leading a professional youth and community work degree, teaching across child and family modules within the School of Education and teaching professional studies within the primary education with QTS courses.
Pat has been an active member of the Professional Association of Youth and Community Work Lecturers and has recently held external examiner roles with the University of Birmingham and University of Hull.
