Emma Blakemore NNEB, DIPSW, PQSW
CEO
As CEO of Innovate Services, Emma Blakemore draws on her extensive experience in social work delivery and service management to co-produce more effective ways of working.
Incredibly innovative in her approach, Emma values a true partnership approach in securing better outcomes for children and young people. Working with senior colleagues in social work, educational psychology and therapeutic care, Emma ensures Innovate Services constantly evolves its service offering.
With 21 years’ experience in children’s social work and residential care, Emma’s expertise spans social work change-management, safeguarding board development, MASH management, frontline social work delivery, therapeutic life story and residential work. In recent years she has worked with local authorities to improve services by creating sustainable service solutions.
Having worked with many local authorities, Emma understands the complexities of change. This is why she remains close to all of Innovate Services’ projects; directing the team and working closely with local authority senior managers to co-produce new ways of working.
She works creatively with local authorities to identify new solutions to some of the most challenging service delivery issues. With the support of the Innovate Services’ team, who she is always quick to praise, Emma has been instrumental in reversing service inefficiencies. She directs projects that offer additional capacity to social care teams whilst providing practical service-delivery recommendations.
For Emma, looking at new ways of working is a constant evolution. Constant learning, reflection and moderation of each service ensures Innovate Services evolves in line with the increasing demands that social services and SEND departments face.
When asked why she decided to take on the role of CEO, Emma was quick to say “Innovate Services enables me to affect change by placing the child at the centre of all our work. By doing this, we creatively support local authorities to secure better outcomes for children and young people. This is where real sustainable change happens.”
When Emma’s not busy catching up with clients and directing Innovate Services, she enjoys socialising with her friends and family, including her much-adored dogs. She also likes to soak up the outdoors by visiting the coast and new places abroad.