Who are Skyrocket?
Skyrocket is a unique example of partnership, collaboration, co-production and innovation in the children’s care sector.
In 2015 the CEOs of Community Foster Care, The Children’s Family Trust and
The Foster Care Co-Operative were discussing the issue of recruiting quality Registered Managers (RMs) within the fostering sector.
Together they recognised that the function of a Registered Manager is a complex
and challenging one due to the varied and demanding skillset required to
fulfill the role successfully.
After lengthy discussions about the difficulty in finding the right training
for good future and practicing RMs, the three CEOs decided to design and deliver their own. And so, Skyrocket was born.
Skyrocket was founded to deal with possible gaps in professional foster care
management training. The challenges in the children’s care sector have now driven significant service expansion into wider skills and foster care training; business management, leadership, contracts, performance
management, board workshops and consultancy.
Skyrocket offers a wide range of specialist training in various areas and provides both in-house and external training opportunities.
Skyrocket partners
The Children’s Family Trust (CFT) is a children’s charity and an independent fostering agency.
Established in 1945, over the years, The CFT has looked after many children and young people from diverse backgrounds with a variety of needs within its dedicated and committed foster families.
CFT’s aim is to provide the highest quality care it possibly can.
With offices across England, it is a growing, progressive charity at the forefront of high quality, outcomes-based child care and fostering in the UK.
As a not-for-profit fostering agency, The CFT ensures that any surplus made is directly re-invested into improving services and enhancing the lives and futures of looked after children.
CFT is proud to be a member of The Fairer Fostering Partnership.
Meet the Skyrocket team
Marina Mulholland
CEO, The Children's Family Trust Marina has spent the past 20 years working in the children and families social care sector. The majority of this time was spent in the independent fostering sector. She has vast experience of working with looked after children, having worked in residential units and child protection teams prior to joining The Children’s Family Trust (CFT). Marina has been with CFT since 2006, undertaking the role of Registered Manager, then Head of Service, and CEO since 2014. She brings great insight and a wealth of knowledge about the sector and unique personal experience of the role of the Registered Manager.
Ian Brazier
Former CEO of The Foster Care Co-operative Ian is an ex-army officer (34 years service all over the world and latterly Commanding Officer at Northwood HQ) and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute with a Strategic Planning and Development Diploma from the Manchester Business School. He has wide-ranging experience in both military and family welfare issues and joined The Foster Care Co-operative in 2009. Ian has extensive knowledge of business administration within the fostering sector, including governance, business planning, and budgets and accounts. He is also very well versed in both company and contract law, which together with his procurement skills, makes him hugely successful when submitting tenders for admission to fostering frameworks.
Dan Whitson-Jones
Business Development Manager, Community Foster Care Dan joined Community Foster Care (CFC) in November 2016, having spent six years as a member of CFC's Fostering Panel. Prior to this, he was Deputy CEO for a transition charity who offered supported accommodation to homeless young people and those with mental health issues. Dan is a qualified youth and community worker and spent five years working for Young Gloucestershire where he managed their county-wide youth work provision. Dan brings a vast knowledge of the voluntary sector to Skyrocket; in particular, he brings much specialist experience and insight into Management and Leadership in the fostering industry.
Anne Bard
Independent Trainer Anne has exceptional experience in the independent fostering sector and brings with her a considerable understanding of fostering. As a Registered Manager, Anne has had firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by RMs and can encourage others to create great strategies to help overcome some of these hurdles. Anne’s awareness of the complexities of Ofsted, together with her people management skills and business acumen make Anne a very valuable resource for RMs. Anne recently retired from The Foster Care Co-operative as Head of Childcare England but continues to work as a much-in-demand trainer.