Michaela Stay

Michaela is a qualified social worker with over 25 years of experience working with families and organisations throughout the country both within public and charity sectors.

Her experience has ranged from Childrens Residential care, Early Years settings working with specific hard to reach groups, Youth resources to front line Social Work both in Referral & Assessment and in Child in Need teams within the Court arena and Emergency Duty Teams. 

It was due to innovative family work as a social worker that Michaela was given the opportunity to research and develop a Family Group Conference service for a local authority in Berkshire and was involved in county wide collaboration and development of practice standards, policy and procedures in line with national and international practice development. Since then, Michaela has offered consultancy to local authorities in setting up and embedding Family Group Conferences within their service provision. 

Michaela has also worked as a Consultant Trainer for the Family Rights Group Charity for 5 years which supports the values and principles of partnership working and whole family engagement and has since trained as a trained as a Children’s Advocate, Mediator, Restorative Practice & Freedom Facilitator. 

Michaela currently divides her time managing a commissioned Family Group Conference Service, working as a facilitator and offering Training in Restorative Approaches, Advocacy, Family Group Conferences and Restorative Conferences. She is particularly experienced and enthusiastic in working with “hard to reach” families and offering a whole family systems approach to understanding and working alongside families in an effort to reduce conflict, enhance mutual understanding, reduce risk and support real engagement and change.

Professional qualifications

Michaela holds a BSc (Hons) Degree in Social Work practice and also a Diploma in Social Work Practice.

Post qualifying PQ1 in childcare

Restorative Practitioner (IRRP)

Mediation

Practice Teaching Award (2000)  - (recent working as a Practice Educator with student social workers)

Michaela is a member of BASW and holds current Social Work England registration