Irine Mano

I am a highly developed and versatile worker with skill set across both social work practice and academia, shaped by extensive international experience in children’s safeguarding, independent assessments, adult mental health, and forensic settings. My work with adults experiencing acute mental illness, those abusing drugs, alcohol and substance misuse; including those at high risk of suicide, reflects my strong analytical capability, emotional resilience, and a sophisticated understanding of legislation. I have consistently delivered timely, evidence based assessments, contributed to triaging, long term treatment planning, and advocated for rights based, recovery focused approaches.

My experience in child protection and family court work further evidences my capacity to manage complexity. I developed strong skills in analysing risk, identifying disguised compliance, and presenting clear, defensible recommendations in court. I am competent to work with issues such as neglect, domestic abuse, and parental substance misuse.

I have ability to assess the nuances involved in shaping deep understanding of safety, harm, resilience, and the dynamics of family systems to keep children safe. My academic career further strengthens my professional capability. I have developed expertise in training, mentoring, innovative approaches in curriculum design, quality assurance, and governance.

I possess strong evaluative skills, innovation, and ability to translate complex theory into accessible learning. My leadership skills highlight confidence in international stakeholder engagement, cross cultural collaboration, and strategic planning. Overall, I bring a rare combination of advanced practice experience, academic rigour, and critical reflection.

Above all, I care about improving the quality of life for people and work ethically and safely to uphold my integrity.

Jun 2019 – Ongoing Independent Social Work Consultant – Independent Assessor

Duties: Undertaking Form F, viability, connected persons, special guardianship, parenting, and risk assessments. Involved critique and analysis of information to recommend next steps about the caring of children and young people.

Feb 2021 – Ongoing External Examiner, Liverpool Hope University

Duties: Moderate the internal marking process and moderate the course/curriculum development for undergraduate BA social work students

Jul 2023 – Ongoing Co-book review editor, Social Work Education: The International Journal

Duties: Advertise, promote, and edit book reviews for the journal

Jul 2022 – Ongoing Chair – African Researchers’ Interest Group

Duties: Promote African research across the faculties at Anglian Ruskin University and put in bidding funds to undertake African research in the community/internal bids to generate income for the university

July 2015 – Ongoing Reviewer: Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning

Duties: Review and conduct quality assurance of assigned articles to provide feedback for authors which helps to ensure the quality of writing for the journal is a higher standard

Dec 2017 – Ongoing Senior Lecturer in Social Work, Anglia Ruskin University

Duties: Contribute to the research activities of the Faculty, including through the production of internationally recognised research outputs

• Contribute to the coordination of practice-based teaching and related activities across a range of postgraduate and undergraduate courses
• Design and develop teaching material across a range of modules and courses in the subject(s), where appropriate, at both undergraduate and postgraduate/professional levels
• Act as academic and placement tutor, providing advice, guidance, and support to students, particularly when they are on placement
• Act as a module leader for modules with several groups, leading the module team and co-ordinating activities, resources, and assessment, Act as course leader where appropriate
• Undertake academic management duties e.g., course leadership, marketing, and recruitment co-ordination (with an emphasis on practice-based learning)
• Work with colleagues to improve and enrich the experience of our students, particularly in relation to practice learning. Contribute to local plans in response to NSS outcomes
• Make a pro-active role in the recruitment and supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students and undertake associated duties including preparation, marking and administration
• Contribute to curriculum development by identifying the need for review of current provision and designing and developing course proposals
• Make a significant contribution to leadership of quality assurance and coordination of all practice placements across all sites
• Work to achieve our vision and values in respect of widening participation, equality of opportunity, commitment to the health and safety of students and colleagues and the delivery of high-quality education provision
• Contribute to external income generation, including research, consultancy, and networking, and the identification and development of new market opportunities for the School and the Faculty, with an emphasis on practice learning related innovations
• Comply with Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR requirements in all working practices maintaining confidentiality, integrity, availability, accuracy, currency and security of information as appropriate
• Take personal responsibility for all personal data within own working environment.

Jun 2017- Dec 2017 Project Co-ordinator, Family Drug and Alcohol Court

Duties: Managing and developing the mentoring project within the Family Drug Alcohol Court team in Milton Keynes. The project works with parents undergoing childcare proceedings in the family court due to addictions because of drug, alcohol and substance misuse

• Trained and provided supervision for mentors who worked with the parents to ensure mentors provided necessary support to enable and motivate the parents to achieve and maintain abstinence to demonstrate that they can adequately care for their own children
• Matching or parents to a suitable trained mentor who was dedicated to enable parents to make positive changes in their lives and promote sustainable recovery. This role involved collaborative working with social workers, children's guardian, drug and alcohol recovery groups and the Court Judges. I provided monthly feedback and reports to the Court Judges in briefing meetings to offer my perspective and justify any recommendations that I made for parents. At the centre of this process was to ensure that I encourage abstinence and ultimately re-unite the parents with their children where it was safe to do so.

Sep 2013- Mar 2017 Lecturer in Social Work and Placement Lead, University of Northampton

Duties: Plan and deliver teaching and learning for students using appropriate media, including the use of IT, Undertake necessary assessment activities, Engage with employer providers to develop practice placement opportunities, Quality assure the quantity and quality of practice placements, Provide support and guidance to students, Contribute to the innovation in learning, teaching, assessment and curriculum development with the aim of meeting the needs of learners and enhancing the overall student experience, Engage in staff development activities relating to teaching, learning and assessment, Integrate research into teaching and learning, Work effectively with colleagues at all levels and contribute to the achievement of the team and university Raising the Bar strategy and objectives, Identify opportunities for income generation and entrepreneurialism through research, consultancy or professional practice, Develop collaborative relationships across teams and Schools, Engage with the process of supervision linked to Professional Development Reviews, Undertake the role of module leader effectively, Seek ways to improve efficiency and quality and motivate and encourage others, Contribute to the development and achievement of quality standards and criteria, Develop experience and skills as an academic both in teaching, learning and assessment, also research, consultancy and income generation, Be responsible and accountable for ensuring all employment legislative requirements are adhered to including equality and diversity and health and safety issues, Work collectively with the subject team to raise the profile of the protected title of social work and as a research discipline.

Feb 2012- Sep 2013 Social Worker, Parkerville Children and Youth Care, Perth, Western Australia

Duties: Care Programme Approach and contributions to monitoring mental capacity

• General assessments, planning, reviewing, and evaluating of risk and need when working with children and families
• Dealing with issues such as neglect, child abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence
• Removing of children affected by abuse from caregivers
• Investigating child protection concerns, as well as family support social work and counselling
• Attending and participating in multi-agency meetings and staff meetings
• Complete Initial Assessments and Core Assessments for children and families depending on their needs in line with the framework of assessments such as, The Framework of Assessments of Children and their Families 2000, Children Act 1989 etc
• Create, share, and review support plans for children on the local authority plans
• Referring and signposting children and their families to appropriate agencies
• Coordinating and organising services in place by planning and attending multi agency meetings for the child and family where appropriate
• Attending team meetings and contributing to team goals through duty work, supervising contact arrangements and school runs
• Organising, preparing, and undertaking regular home visits to monitor children’s progress and outcomes
• Attend targeted training for continual professional development
• Maintaining timely responses to manage assigned work in accordance with policies and procedures, budgets, and relevant legislation such as the Children Act 1989/2004
• Promoting integrated working, focusing on needs led responses that improve the needs of the children and strength-based responses for families
• Maintaining records, both paper and electronic in accordance with the directorate recording policies
• Participated in the council’s emergency plans when required such as when a child needed to be removed from its family home and taken into care
• Carrying out all statutory requirements that arose in response to allocated caseloads
• Sharing information with team members to improve outcomes and objectives of vulnerable children.

Jan 2012 Technical Research Assistant, University of Northampton (part time)

Duties: Supported with research activities at the university’s social work department as directed. Supported the social work division in researching material to initiate a mentoring project for Black African social work students at the university. In this role given that it was only a month's worth of employment, I developed from research a mentor and mentee profile that would be used in the matching process.

The division was aware when they employed me that I had been offered and accepted a job in Australia, but they were keen for me to develop the mentor research before I left. This I believe shows faith in my demonstrated skills and ability.

2008-2011 Family Support Worker, Macintyre Care, Wingrave

Duties: Duties: Worked with young children with disabilities (both physical and learning) and their families providing supported personal care in their residential shared accommodation whilst promoting their skills for independent living. I supported the young children prepare for and during lessons on the on-site school for children with disabilities. I also supported them with on-site activities to stimulate thinking and supported them off-site activities to promote integration into the community and partaking in their citizenship rights such as going for movies, GP appointments, shopping etc.

This also helped towards ensuring their voices were heard and they contributed to decisions affecting their care and exercised choice and control through my facilitation. I was also keyworker to some students and therefore liable for up-to-date record keeping, managing budgets and ensuring clothing and food items they chose was stocked.

2005-2008 Administrator, DTS Clipper Logistics, Milton Keynes

Duties Worked as an administrator in a clothing and shoe warehouse ensuring that bookings came in as agreed and goods delivered and shipped out as appropriate. I liaised with warehouse workers to ensure accurate stock was recorded and where discrepancies arose, I would follow up and account for stock. I liaised with external stakeholders to ensure that goods were booked in and allocated delivery spots as appropriate.

2004 -2005 Administrator, Quantum Research, Welwyn Garden City

Duties: I worked as an administrator facilitating the deliveries and transportation of heart monitors across the world plus all the paperwork trails to ensure accuracy in buying and selling of heart monitors accounting for numbers in store.

2001-2003 Support Worker, QEII Hospital, Welwyn Garden City

Duties: In this role I supported patients in hospital to ensure that they were comfortable and clean in the hospital. Cleaned the hospital wards and changed bed linen.

Education and Academic Qualifications

2008 Access to Higher Education Certificate, Milton Keynes College

2011 BA Hons Social Work, University of Northampton

2016 MSc in Practice Education, University of Northampton

2019 Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching Higher Education

2020 – Ongoing Professional Doctorate in Social Work