45 years working in Residential Child Care. 15 years each local authority, private and voluntary organisations across care, education and health.

Always where the best can be achieved for children and young people. Continuously involved with developing and supporting policy and practice.

In 2000 NCERCC Manager, and later concurrently in the post of CEO ICHA, working extensively with providers, local and national government, regulator. Continuously involved as a core member of groups involved in many policy and practice developments

During her practice career Marie has worked with all ages. In group living environments she has worked with diverse needs, regional observation and assessment and adolescent provision for young women. She then moved to bring residential knowledge and experience to the development of pioneering relationship focused fostering projects that were precursors to edge of care, step down and No Wrong Door that she describes as ‘residential care in the community.’