Kate Dempsey, Principal social worker, Head of Social Care Practice
"I have been a social worker for almost 40 years.
"I have worked with the Irish travelling community and in voluntary sector family centres in Ireland in the 1980s.
"My work ranged from individual work, family work and group work with both adults and children. I would link back into the community that we all lived in.
"I moved to London in 1990 with plans to remain here for a couple of years but never quite managed to leave.
"I have worked as a local authority social worker, senior practitioner and manager in Lambeth, Southwark and Camden.
"I have worked with both adults and children but largely undertaking child protection and children in need social work with children and their families. I have always retained an interest in working with communities and have been linked to third sector groups, faith groups in a number of community engagement exercises.
"I came to Havering in June 2015 as principal social worker for Children and Adults.
"I have an interest in diaspora communities, identity, social justice and the personal-political nature of acts. I have an aspiration to pare back the bureaucracy around social work and to make room to develop the skill and courage necessary to build ethical relationships that can make a difference in people's lives."