Penny Rogers

Penny is a highly experienced safeguarding leader, educator, systemic psychotherapist and music therapist with MSc and MA Degrees in Cognitive Neuropsychology, Child Protection & Working with Families, Systemic Psychotherapy and a post-graduate diploma in Mental Health Law. She has over 35 years clinical experience in mental health and learning disability and has held senior safeguarding roles in the NHS since 1991 across both child and adult safeguarding. Her systemic skills have supported Penny in her ability to work both within and across organisational cultures, at times being seconded into shared roles between NHS & Police or NHS and Local Authority.

Her most recent portfolio in a large Mental Health Trust Partnership Trust (as Associate Director; Safeguarding & Public Protection) encompassed all aspects of safeguarding – children; adults; domestic abuse, PREVENT, Modern Slavery, FGM and complex safeguarding concerns. It also included provision of leadership for the Trust legal portfolio  – MCA, MHA and resulted in a high volume of applications to the Court of Protection. In that capacity she provided leadership resulting in the application of Devon Partnership NHS Trust v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care [2021] EWHC 101 (Admin), in which the High Court ruled that initial Mental Health Act assessments conducted via video or remote means are unlawful because the statute requires physical attendance. The outcome of the judgement reflected Penny’s passionate interest in promoting human rights.

Over the last 30 years, Penny has led and contributed to numerous safeguarding practice reviews (Safeguarding Adults Reviews, Child Practice Reviews, Domestic Homicide Reviews and Mental Health Homicide Reviews) both as an organisational author and as a panel member, ensuring that learning is shared and trauma-informed approaches become embedded in organisational cultures.

Penny’s leadership of complex safeguarding matters resulted in the establishment (and chairing) of both the Ethics Committee and Executive Complex Case Committee within the large NHS Trust in which she worked and she retains a strong interest in ethics

Penny has also undertaken work as an independent trainer in safeguarding for a wide number of therapy and counselling organisations reflecting her core belief that safeguarding is everyones responsibility and (through Enable East) undertaking mock CQC inspections with a focus on Safeguarding and the practical application of legislation (MCA and MHA)

Alongside Penny’s clinical work, she has continued to work as a cellist (playing with the Lyric Chamber Orchestra, Torbay Symphony and a number of string quartets ) and as a clinical and safeguarding supervisor.