Sharon Allen appointed to top job at Skills for Care

Skills for Care has appointed qualified social worker Sharon Allen as its new chief executive, replacing Andrea Rowe. Allen joins the adult social...

Skills for Care has appointed qualified social worker Sharon Allen as its new chief executive, replacing Andrea Rowe.

Allen joins the adult social care workforce development body for England following 25 years’ experience in the statutory and voluntary sectors.

Professor David Croisdale-Appleby, chair of Skills for Care, said Allen had “just the right mix” of leadership and financial skills. She is currently chief executive of St Anne’s Community Services, which offers not-for-profit social care across Yorkshire and North East England, and has previously worked for Shelter, the Blenheim Project and Women’s Aid.

She is also an active member of Skills for Care’s Yorkshire and Humber regional committee.

“My time on the committee has convinced me Skills for Care not only works closely with employers to make sure their staff can access high quality training, but that the people who work for the organisation have the skills and motivation needed to meet the huge challenges ahead,” said Allen.

Rowe announced her retirement in November 2009 after 10 years in the role.

Croisdale-Appleby said: “Andrea Rowe has grown the organisation dramatically over the last decade bringing it to a very robust position, and Sharon is the ideal person to ensure workforce development issues remain at the heart of the debate around adult social care.”

The Department of Health announced a review of the three national adult social care workforce bodies, Skills for Care, the Social Institute for Excellence and the General Social Care Council, in September 2008.

However the review was repeatedly delayed, prompting criticisms from the British Association of Social Workers. It is not yet clear what will happen to the review under the new coalition government.

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