Pam McConnell founded Five Rivers Child Care in 1989, as a leading social enterprise providing therapeutic services for children in care across the key areas of education, assessment & therapy, crisis intervention, residential and foster care.
Career Overview
Pam qualified as a social worker with a degree and continued professional training as a psychotherapist, group analyst and family therapist. Specialising in child protection and mental health in families with vulnerable children led her to work as an independent expert in the courts. As a result of seeing the care experience was not able to deliver a therapeutic experience, she began her first therapeutic children’s home in 1989, progressing onto other services children in care needed such as education, fostering and therapy.
Since Five Rivers began, thousands of children with adverse childhood experiences have been supported in working through their trauma through specialist care and therapeutic practices. Five Rivers is a leading practitioner lead service in turning children’s lives around and is proud to be a partner of choice for over 135 local authorities and NHS trusts. As a certified member of Social Enterprise UK, Five Rivers delivers consistent high quality social impact in the children’s lives and their communities.
Education
- Cert. Group Analytics from the Institute of Group Analysis (3 years post-graduate) (1980) - BA in Social Policy and Social Work, Coventry University (1981) - CQSW Certificate Qualifying in Social Work, Coventry University (1981) - Cert. Family Therapy from the Institute of Family Therapy (2 years post-graduate) (1982) - CTA – Clinical Psychotherapist (5 years post-graduate) (1995) - Working with Trauma and Abuse (3-year diploma with Dr Janina Fisher 2011-2014) - MA Screenwriting Bournemouth University (2007) - Many courses relevant to running businesses etc.
Memberships
- Member of the Institute of Directors (IOD) - Member of UKATA. Trustee for the MTTT Fund. - Member of UKCP as a professional body
Pam is a member of the following:
- Associate Fellow of Bournemouth University Faculty of Health & Social Services - The Community of Community Quality Assurance Network – Royal College of Psychiatry - The Consortium of Therapeutic Communities - Fostering Network - Independent Children’s Homes Association - Investors in People Award - National Association of Fostering Providers - TCTC
Notable Achievements
Pam has also started up several other enterprises in tourism, agriculture, and consultancy in the area of social care management, community care services, property and residential support for adults.
In the News
Five Rivers retains Gold accreditation
News | Published April 14th 2023, 1:54 pm
For the second consecutive year, Leaders Council members Five Rivers Child Care, a local social enterprise based in Salisbury, has earned the highly regarded We Invest in People Gold accreditation. Read more →
Five Rivers Child Care CEO wins Lifetime Achievement Award for services to children in care
News | Published October 17th 2022, 9:29 am
Pam McConnell, the chief-executive and founder of Five Rivers Child Care and member of The Leaders Council of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious National Children and Young People Awards.Read more →
Five Rivers CEO recognised for lifelong contribution to children in care through national award nomination
News | Published September 20th 2022, 10:10 am
Five Rivers Child Care founder and CEO Pam McConnell is listed among the finalists in one of the UK’s leading care sector awards.Read more →
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