Steering Committee
Meet The Team
Steering Committee Members
Sarah Soppitt
Professor Sarah Soppitt (Northumbria University) has been involved in research and evaluation projects within the criminal justice sector nationally and internationally for over twenty years. Her work largely spans Probation, Youth Justice and Policing with a focus on public criminology, interventions and desistance.
Rebecca Oswald
Dr Rebecca Oswald (Northumbria University) is an assistant professor in criminology whose research lies in the areas of youth crime and justice, with a particular focus on desistance narratives and interventions that can help young people build a positive identity away from offending.
Samantha Walker
Dr Samantha Walker (Northumbria University) is an assistant professor in criminology whose work looks at interpersonal and systemic forms of violence in a variety of contexts. Her work is particularly focused on understanding the meaning and impact of violence on individuals and communities.
Dr Aisling Martin
Aisling is a clinical psychologist with a special interest in attachment and developmental trauma, youth offending, and relational approaches. She has worked in both clinical and forensic settings with young people, including inpatient and community children’s mental health services, Forensic CAMHS, and the youth justice system. Aisling had a lead role in implementing the SECURE STAIRS Integrated Care Framework and establishing formulation-based approaches within the children and young people’s secure estate, as well as developing, implementing and evaluating trauma-informed approaches within youth justice services. She is currently leading the implementation of the Framework for Integrated Care (Community) as part of Trusting Hands, an embedded trauma-informed care service to meet the needs of young people with high risk, high harm, high vulnerability needs within Gateshead Children’s Social Care.
Lisa Ingleby
My role includes full oversight of the use of alternative provision by schools across County Durham including the development and implementation of a quality assurance framework to monitor curriculum provision delivered through alternative provision. I work directly alongside senior leaders within schools to support school improvement. I also have extensive experience of leading pastoral provision within secondary and special schools at a senior level and developing practices within alternative provision across other local authorities
Project and Strategy Officer, Durham Police and Crime Commissioner - PCC Joy Allen
Jessica Lee
In my role as Project and Strategy Officer for Serious Violence I am required to project manage the implementation of legislation and statutory duties placed upon the Police and Crime Commissioner and their office. I am responsible for the day-to-day delivery of projects and areas of work specifically relating to Serious Violence.
Rebecca Cheesman
I am a qualified Social Worker and have a passion for supporting children, young people and families/carers. I have an interest in exploitation, serious youth violence, domestic abuse, trauma and substance misuse. I oversee Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s specialist exploitation team, family time service, parenting offer, reducing parental conflict, edge of care and therapy team.
Youth Justice Oversight Manager, North East and Cumbria
Jenni Yuill
As Youth Justice Oversight Manager for the North East and Cumbria, I’m part of the Operations team for the Youth Justice Board. I engage with youth justice services across the region and oversee performance in terms of service delivery, service leadership, local strategic priorities and continuous improvement. My background is in education where I worked as a secondary teacher and then in senior leadership for 20+ years, then joining the YJB in 2023.
Robin Brown
Service Manager of the Children's Society Scarpa Project since 2015, with responsibility for managing The Children's Society Exploitation and Missing services. Previously responsible for managing Young People and Generic Housing Services for Home Group, and Head of Housing Services for the North of England Refugee Service.
Sarah Edwards
I oversee the IRO teams who are responsible for chairing Children in our Care reviews and Child Protection Conferences. This also includes overseeing the ROTH (Risk Outside the Home) pathway.
Dr Rachel Woodward
Working within community forensic adolescent mental health services (Forensic CAMHS and The Kolvin Service). This includes consultation, assessment, intervention and
developing psychologically informed pathways across the North East & North Cumbria. Providing support, advice and liaison for multi-agency teams. This includes leading on trauma-informed pathway with a local YJS. Background within clinical and forensic services, including secure care, prisons and probation. Member of the Advisory Group and consultation lead for the Association of Clinical Psychologists (ACP) for Children, Young People and their Families. Member of CNTW Trauma Informed Care CYPS steering group. Specialist interests in trauma, forensic needs & vulnerabilities, exploitation, youth violence, extremism and cultural deprivation.
Joanne Appleby
I’ve worked within Newcastle Youth Justice Service for 16 years, progressing from a field social worker to a team manager. My current role involves leading on all aspects relating to court, custody, resettlement, transitions, MAPPA and serious youth violence. The landscape of youth justice has changed significantly throughout my career with criminal exploitation and serious youth violence being more prevalent. Ensuring the best outcomes for children is at the heart of my work. I am passionate about trauma informed practice and applying the principles of child first, offender second in all aspects of youth justice.
Claire Sills