Michael Patterson BA, MSc.

Director

Michael has over 25 years experience in housing-related support and care. He currently specialises in Local Area Agreements, the changing economy of "Supporting People" and housing-related support and social care in general. He still retains an involvement in consultancy and especially in training. He has particular expertise in the developing issue of Local Area Agreements and holds a Diploma in and is a qualified Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). He is actively working towards Master Practitioner status in NLP and the Advanced Certificate in Executive Coaching. His role is increasingly associated with the development of Support Solutions as a business, the objective of contributing rigorous research and thinking to the housing-related support sector, and the growth and development of SSL's electronic media such as The Briefing and The Forum.

michael@supportsolutions.co.uk

Marcia Gordon BA.

Company Secretary

Marcia has over 15 years experience of supported housing and care. She began her career as a learning disabilities support worker (adults) and became a registered care manager within the meaning of the (then) Registered Homes Act 1984 (since superceded by the Care Standards Act). Subsequently, Marcia worked as a local authority Social Worker responsible for out-of-borough learning disabilities placements.

Marcia is the mother of a young son with learning and physical disabilities.

marcia@supportsolutions.co.uk

Dawn Little

Training Administrator

Dawn began work with Support Solutions in 2007.

Dawn organises and administers Support Solutions' training events and is responsible for the general administration of the company. In addition to her work within the office, Dawn also provides training support to our events.

dawn@supportsolutions.co.uk

Danny Key BA, MCIH.

Senior Revenue Consultant

Danny has successfully assisted numerous organisations in significantly increasing their proper housing and support revenue entitlements. This includes constructing claims, undertaking appeals, rent setting, review and reallocation. Danny has been very successful in optimising organisations' finances and improving the quality, cost effectiveness and efficiency of their Housing Benefits revenue management.   Danny began work with Support Solutions in 2004.

danny@supportsolutions.co.uk

John Hodges

Principal Consultant

John has huge experience of senior level work within the housing care and support sector. Prior to embarking on a career in consultancy he was the Supporting People Manager for Birmingham, the largest local authority in the UK. Prior to that he was Supporting People Manager for Coventry City Council. John is available for the following areas of work:

• Assistance with procurement planning (SP Teams)
• Assistance with tender submissions (Providers)
• SP Strategy development and/or maintenance
• General Project implementation/development
• General systems and administrative development
• Partnership/liaison work with Government departments and other funders
• Research and turning research into practical development
• Risk Assessments and Planning
• Communication processes
• Conducting external investigations
• Training

And specific to Supporting People

• SP Contract negotiation
• Preparing for SP Reviews and coping with Action Plans
• Identifying and promoting 'strategic relevance'
• KPI's and VFM work
• Benchmarking
• Future funding changes

John began work with Support Solutions in 2006

john@supportsolutions.co.uk

Paul Key DPM CQSW DRM

Revenue Consultant

Paul became a consultant in 1998 after working for 23 years in Social Services and Health, mainly in the fields of mental health and learning disabilities. Paul works on a sessional basis for the Valuing People Support Team and also is the Chair of a learning disabilities charity involved with advocacy and rights for 22 years. Paul has significant experience in finding housing options with and for vulnerable people. He is a national expert on care home deregistration. Paul has been with Support Solutions for 3 Years.

paul@supportsolutions.co.uk

Kris Key BSc.

Revenue Consultant

Kris has worked as a consultant since 2001. He has particular expertise in Housing Benefits Regulations and the optimisation of revenue streams in general. Kris also has in-depth knowledge of the Supporting People initiative and has worked with many providers to assist them in Supporting People review and compliance issues. Kris has undertaken a lot of work on matters related to the "Valuing People" agenda. Kris has strong IT and technical skills which are geared to the needs of our sector.

kris@supportsolutions.co.uk

Alison Smith BSc, PGCE, MA

Consultant & Trainer

Alison has recently joined Support Solutions as a Consultant and Trainer and has particular expertise in Outcomes Measurement systems..

Alison is a regular contributor to The Briefing and is the author of the "Daily Living Skills Programme".

alison@supportsolutions.co.uk

Greg Laws

Executive Coach

Greg Laws has nearly 30 years of experience on three continents in communication, education, negotiation and training. He is a Master Practitioner of NLP and is a Certified Trainer of NLP through the International NLP Trainers Association (INLPTA).  He has written a Masters degree on modernization and tourism development among some of the World's most remote people. Recognised as a World authority on community-based resource management, he has been responsible for the negotiation of multi-million pound bilateral aid programmes between the British government, the European Union and African communities. He was commended by a Minister in Nelson Mandela's cabinet. He has worked alongside the executive boards of some of South Africa's most powerful corporations including Anglo American, Nedcor, Total Fuel, Ford Motor Corporation and Sappi Paper.  Greg has trained under the UK based Coaching Academy in corporate and executive coaching.

greg@supportsolutions.co.uk