SAFE Associate – Linda Hobbs
Linda is a trainer and consultant with over 25 years’ experience working within education and training across the children, young people, adults and family workforce sectors. Working across Children’s Services, Linda led a Local Authority training centre developing from concept to fully operational and widening their offer of qualifications across workforce sectors. She recruited and trained a team of 44 trainers and assessors promoting a ‘grow your own’ approach.
Linda’s previous experience as a manager and trainer for Plymouth Local Authority, Workforce Development Team (Childrens Services) and owner of Plymouth Training and Consultancy Ltd (an apprenticeship provider) has led her to working independently as an experienced trainer and consultant.
Linda has been a child protection trainer since 2010, over this time she has also worked as a trainer for three Local Safeguarding Partnerships (Plymouth, Devon and Torbay). Linda has had over 18,000 attendees on a range of courses.
Since 2010, she has continued to work independently as a lead trainer for Plymouth Local Safeguarding Children Partnership. She is a licensed NSPCC graded care profile trainer.
Linda continues to deliver a range of safeguarding training, bespoke to single agency and multi-agency needs. These courses include Child Protection, Child Protection Advanced, Refresher Training, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Adolescences Safety, Graded Care, Keeping Children Safe in Education, Safeguarding Adults, Safer Recruitment and Professional Boundaries.
Linda worked alongside Dame Esther Rantzen and Deborah Meadon to promote and develop the Children’s Voice Appeal, an initiative to raise awareness of Childline.
Linda wrote and delivered several leadership and management courses aligned to Children and Adult Services, these were endorsed by Institute for Leadership and Management (ILM), including Leadership and Management, Performance Management, Change Management, Coaching and Mentoring and Partnership Working,.
As recognition for her achievement in Business, Safeguarding and Education, Linda was a finalist at the Plymouth Evening Herald Business Awards – Entrepreneur of the Year.
Linda maintains her knowledge and experience, keeping up to date with research, reading and qualifications.