And what has impressed her most since joining the Board is the fact that not only has she been listened to, but positive action has been taken as a result.

“I was aware that Community Foster Care had gone through some significant changes and was very much on the up. Because of my past experience with looked-after children and my current strategic role in the local authority, I knew I could contribute to their work. I was also very interested in learning more about Community Foster Care’s business model as a social enterprise,” she said.

“Since leaving front-line social work I have become increasingly interested in seeing where everything links strategically, particularly now when the political and social climate is undergoing great change.

“What has really impressed me is that my fellow Trustees are prepared to really listen and then consider and act on new ideas and suggestions. For Trustees, that is a very good feeling because you know you can make a really positive impact on the organisation you want to support.”

Mariana also feels she has learned a great deal from the life and work experiences of her fellow Trustees.

“I have always worked in the public sector, so it has been really fascinating to me to meet a really interesting group of fellow Trustees with a wide range of skills, interests and backgrounds,” she said. 

“I feel as a Board we can support Community Foster Care to take brave decisions and invest in the development of the enterprise, while at the same time, we are confident in our ability to continually challenge ourselves to do the best for the organisation and the young people it supports."