top of page
Sharon Deacon Q A Consultants Logo

About Me

My journey showcases my unwavering commitment to Looked After Children and care-experienced young people across children’s homes, fostering and supported accommodation sectors. 

 

During my roles as a manager and senior manager, and now in the role of consultant, I continue to be passionate in supporting teams to develop and improve standards and outcomes.

​ 

Throughout my career, I have forged and initiated quality assurance initiatives, showcasing leadership and management skills. 

 

I know that my skills lie in leading teams and advocating for safeguarding practices, resulting in my extensive experience in Quality Assurance and commissioning within Children's Services.

​

I am proud to have established a unique Quality Assurance role within a Local Authority, devising and implementing a tailored quality assurance framework for their Looked After Children and Care leavers placements, including children’s homes and supported accommodation, years before the sector was regulated.

​

With colleagues, we led the campaign with Bedfordshire Police and the local MP, for the campaigning of the regulation of the Supported Accommodation sector.

 

I am privileged to have attended the initial DfE meetings and be a part of the discussions with the DfE, Ofsted and Ministers. 

​

In addition, I established a pioneering role wherein Looked After Children and Care Leavers received a bespoke training programme to support their participation as Quality Assurance Assistants (Young Commissioners), contributing significantly to the QA process across the local authority, in particular, focusing on raising standards in the supported accommodation sector. This work was documented and commented on by the Howard League.

​

My role as QA Manager was also recognised nationally, including liaison with 12 national police forces to share best practice. This included working closely with the Bedfordshire Police CSE Disruption Unit. 

 

In recent years, I have transitioned into consultancy work, offering a variety of services aimed at improving quality assurance practices and supporting and preparing organisations for Ofsted registration and inspection processes.

Sharon Deacon Q A Consultants
Consultancy Portfolio

  • Consultancy across all areas 

  • Supporting providers, to establish children’s homes 

  • Reflective supervision

  • Robust quality assurance audits 

  • Updating policies in key legislations for regulated services

  • Tailored training for organisations, teams and individual needs 

  • Regulation 44’s for Children’s Homes

  • Regulation 25’s for Residential Family Centres

  • Supporting Local Authorities with Quality Assurance, location risk assessment pathways and how to utilise these crucial risk assessments

  • Policy writing, risk assessments, commissioned contracts and tender writing

  • Completion of investigations for complaints and allegations including LADO investigations

  • Safeguarding

  • Residential care training - Legislation the Children’s Homes England Regulations 2015

  • Regulation 40 and Regulation 45 training

  • Regulation 45 training both independently and on behalf of Dialogue

  • Tailored Supported Accommodation England Regulations 2023 training

  • Safeguarding and Exploitation – delivered alongside New Moon Safeguarding Services

  • Induction training across all roles and areas 

training
offer

Campaigning for the regulation of 16+ servcies

Jackie Sebire, Former Assistant Chief Constable
Bedfordshire Police

"The professionalism shown by both (...) and Sharon was extraordinary. They showed a great understanding of issues and displayed tenacity in keeping the momentum going. I have no doubt that their contribution greatly assisted in bringing the changes we saw announced last week."

In the House of Commons, Unregulated Accommodation: 16-17 year olds

Andrew Selous MP, South West Bedfordshire

"Thirty-four locations in Bedfordshire are providing unregulated supported living for 16 and 17-year-olds. Central Bedfordshire Council has a quality assurance manager, Sharon Deacon, who will not place the council’s own children in many of those homes, and her role has been commended by the Howard League for Penal Reform."

Good practice and facing regulation of 16+ accommodation in Central Bedfordshire

Claire Sands, Policy and Research Manager at The Howard League

"Sharon’s work in Central Bedfordshire provides an excellent example of what local authorities can and should be doing to improve the quality of residential care."

bottom of page