Sian’s experiences with that charity led her to become a passionate advocate for small-scale community-led solutions that helped other local people, and as CEO of the representative body for family-based support Shared Lives Plus, lobbied successfully for a regulatory approach which placed the burden of regulation on an agency rather than the families.
After founding Community Catalysts in September 2009, as CEO Sian continued the fight for a policy, legislative, regulatory and bureaucratic environment that enables people to use their gifts, talents and imagination to create enterprising services and ventures that help other people in their neighbourhood. Sian retired from her role as CEO of Community Catalysts at the end of July. She is continuing (with allies) the battle for social justice.
Sian was awarded an OBE for services to social care in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. She is a graduate of Oxford University with a Master’s degree in Social Work Studies, and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and of the Salzburg Global Forum.
“I am passionate about Personalised Care. My working life has been spent helping local people set up health and social care services that create choices for members of their community seeking personalised care and support. The Coalition and its Partners have a vital role in promoting personalised health services and I am glad to be able to help take forward this important work.”