I am retired Chief Executive of the Royal Philanthropic Society and a retired priest. I spent a 40-year career in the practice, development and executive management, primarily but not exclusively of services for young people leaving care and involved in juvenile crime. I have been an ordained deacon and priest for the past 25 years.

My Fellowship looked at community-based alternatives for these young people as opposed to being in institutional care. There was growing disquiet about the care and treatment in residential settings and indeed its effectiveness. The UK Government was looking at models of community-based intervention called Intermediate Treatment. I was attached to the Department of Youth Services at The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which had developed a range of such provision. We really had to prove that community-based alternative programmes were not a 'soft' option and could be effective in changing the behaviours of these young people.

I had the opportunity to develop some community-based programmes when I was appointed Chief Executive of the Royal Philanthropic Society.