Dr. Arlene P Weekes

With over 30 years of experience in the social work profession, Arlene has held many roles, including Probation Officer, Leaving Care Team Manager, Child Protection Chair, Fostering and Adoption Panel Chair, and IRO for both foster carers and children. She has also worked as a CiN, LAC and Placements Service Manager. She currently divides her time between the roles of freelance trainer, Service Manager, and senior lecturer at London South Bank University. In addition to a PhD in social work, Arlene holds a Diploma in Management Studies and a Practice Teacher Award.

Arlene’s PhD research, awarded in 2021, explored how the biographies, attitudes and values of individuals influence their role and decision-making. One of the conclusions of this research was that, to execute their roles effectively, individuals need to be more self-aware, by managing conscious and unconscious influences. As a result, she introduced and developed the concept of Effective Personal and Professional Judgement (EPPJ), as a model for helping individuals improve the decisions and actions they take in meeting the needs and behaviour of children, by understanding the effect of internal and external influences. The basic premise of EPPJ is that: increased personal awareness increases professional effectiveness.