Kellie Bsc (Hons) degree and Diploma in Social Work

Kellie has a Bsc (Hons) degree and Diploma in Social Work, both gained at Huddersfield University in England. Whilst Kellie obtained her professional qualifications in England, she has primarily practiced as a social worker in Scotland, her first role being at Peterhead Prison, which was then the National Sex Offender prison for Scotland. Here Kellie facilitated and delivered the SOTP program (sex offender treatment program), which was an intensive cognitive behavioural therapy treatment program, understanding the entrenched attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of the individual. She then went on to work in front line child protection before joining Grampian Police as a social worker, where she undertook a newly created role for the City of Aberdeen. Within this role, Kellie introduced initiatives to Aberdeen to help reduce youth crime and antisocial behaviour, projects that received awards and are still very active today.

Kellie also worked as a centre manager for the largest cancer charity in the North East of Scotland, and in this role had significant involvement with families going through the traumatic bereavement process both during terminal illness and after death; something unimaginable to many families at that point in time of their lives. Kellie also spent time outside the social work profession including in Australia gathering a broader perspective on life.

Her passion for working with children saw her return to front line child protection and later managing foster carers throughout the North of Scotland.   During her 24 year career, Kellie has been able to observe the paths taken by many individuals, particularly those entering the care system and as such, has a rich understanding of the world that they need to navigate and the unresolved trauma that often stays with them into adulthood.

As a result of her work with children and young people, Kellie is passionate about understanding their journey and how unresolved trauma can affect their everyday experiences and interactions. She has always demonstrated compassion and understanding when working alongside her clients, ensuring that she is attuned to their lived experiences and the adversities that they have had to overcome. Given the length of time that Kellie has practiced as a social worker she has been able to observe high levels of intergenerational abuse, behaviours and attitudes, which has deepened her passion for early intervention and tapping into an individual’s trauma at an early age.

Kellie is now keen to share her expertise, knowledge and understanding of trauma informed practice, trauma-related behaviours and the physical and emotional affects of unresolved trauma.