© 2026 Connected Stories

Introduction

Connected Stories is committed to the provision of services that assist practitioners, leaders and their wider partnerships to enhance outcomes for children and families.

We draw on our Directors’ and Associates extensive experience and commitment to work with children and families, and particularly in relation to youth justice leadership, policy and practice.

All our services are co-produced, evidence-based, customised to local context/need and focused on the achievement of desired outcomes.

Get in touch to discuss how we can support you in relation to the work with children, families and young adults.

What This Entails

Service and Organisational Development

Our youth justice leads, and all our associates, are highly experienced in youth justice related strategic and operational development. We support organisations to develop and connect child-centred, inclusive strategy into meaningful and impactive policy, leadership and practice.

Quality Assurance and Case Review

We undertake quality assurance across the continuum from standalone audits, through to practice observation/development and authoring learning/serious case reviews, in relation to work with children and families. We specialise in the development and systemic review of work with justice involved children and their communities.

Practitioner, Leader and Team Coaching/Supervision

Our Associates are accredited, recognised coaches and supervisors, able to provide a safe, confidential and transformative space for individuals and organisations to professionally develop. For more information about our coaching, see the Connected Leaders page.

Children and Families Assessment Development

Utilising our educational assessment expertise, we undertake the design, content development and advise organisations wishing to assess the competencies of children and family practitioners.

What People Say

Laura worked with us on producing assessment content for the social work sector and she also project managed the process (including recruitment) and quality assured the content of the wider team, adopting a mentoring role. In all her work Laura is thorough, organised and proactive – which along with her detailed understanding of the subject matter, made her ideal to work with.

Hannah Rowe, Assessment Manager - Alphaplus Consultancy

Laura was jointly commissioned by the Safer West Sussex Partnership and the West Sussex Safeguarding Childrens Partnership to undertake a review into a serious violence incident in the county involving which caused significant community tensions about youth violence and the impact and risks to other children. Laura undertook a wide reaching review, consulting with practitioners, community partners and some of those involved in the incident. Her report provided detailed recommendations to improve the way we are able to respond children at risk of violence and contextual safeguarding. Laura led this complex and challenging review collaboratively, ethically and patiently, as she worked flexibly with partner agencies and organisations to adapt the focus of the review as it developed. Responsive and diligent Laura met all of the review process milestones and deadlines. She utilised her subject expertise to undertake an extensive literature review and the resulting high quality report content was forensic where needed and incisive. Presentation of the overview report to senior leadership was excellent providing clarity around how identified learning should be progressed via comprehensive recommendations.

Jim Bartlett, Chair and Sally Kendal, Partnership Manager - West Sussex Safeguarding Children's Partnership

She can build working relationships across a range of sectors and levels and bring people together to develop ideas and programmes…

Laura has been a critical component in the ongoing success of the peer review programme… She has been critical in pulling together the annual plan and highlighting the positive impact of the work of the sector… Laura has been an essential element of the success of the sector led improvement work and the quality of the delivery and has supported the national chairs of the board to deliver this critical work across the sector.

Angie Fuller, Co-chair, Youth Justice Sector Improvement Partnership (YJSIP) Board

Upcoming Webinars

  • Woman typing on a video call

    Slowing Down to Think in Children and Family Services

    A research-informed online CPD exploring how slowing down in children and family services improves decision-making, reduces errors and supports more sustainable, effective practice.

    Available dates
    • 6 Mar 2026 (11am – 1.30pm, 30min lunch break)
    • 19 Mar 2026 (9.15am – 11.15am)

Let's Work Together

Get in touch to explore how we can support your work in youth justice at justice@connectedstories.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.