Who we are

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After spending his career as a police detective, including 14 years in the Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) Philip launched what is now Woodland Baines in 2022. His safeguarding background includes specialist child abuse investigation including multi-agency joint investigation under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989, Achieving Best Evidence (ABE/VRI) for vulnerable and intimidated witness interviews and family liaison work. Philip is also a qualified AIM 3 assessor for children who display Harmful Sexual Behaviours. Since launching Woodland Baines, Philip has led on quality assurance of the Home Office Harmful Sexual Behaviours Support Service (HSBSS), worked with a range of education and children’s home providers and continues to support domestic and international law enforcement agencies and their partners develop knowledge and skills in child abuse investigation, harmful sexual behaviour and trauma-informed practice. Philip delivers evidential independent investigation of complaints, position of trust suitability assessment and coaching packages for organisations. Philip also supports victims and survivors (and their families) who have been directly affected by all types of abuse, including technology assisted child sexual abuse (TACSA) through his work with the Marie Collins Foundation. 

Claire is a safeguarding specialist with a background in multi-agency working and managing multi-disciplinary teams working with families and children receiving early help, and statutory services including care experienced children. Claire’s 20 years statutory services experience spans, youth justice, targeted youth support, early help and intensive family support, cover local authority designated officer, safeguarding partnership multi-agency training, and education welfare. Claire spent several years developing safeguarding training, consultancy and membership support services at the Boarding Schools Association and SACPA before joining Woodland Baines in August 2025. Claire has a depth of knowledge and experience in safeguarding audit, complaints and safeguarding investigation, critical learning and rapid reviews, suitability assessment and coaching, safer recruitment and safer working cultures, safeguarding supervision, matrix management arrangements for health and specialist workers, missing and exploited children, transitional safeguarding, harmful sexual behaviour assessment, victim and restorative services. Claire is trained in safeguarding supervision, AIM3 and TA-HSB assessment and supervision, restorative justice conference facilitation and family group conference facilitation.

After qualifying as a Registered Sick Children’s Nurse in Glasgow Carol’s nursing career of 37 years spans a range of specialist areas. These included 10 years in Paediatric Palliative Care within Hospice and Community Outreach settings and post of ‘Named Person In Charge’ under the Registered Homes Act 1994. Carol then moved into children and young people’s mental health as a Specialist Nurse within in-patient and community teams then working as a Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Practitioner within the community and hospital on call. Before joining Woodland Baines in May 2026 Carol spent the last 13 years working within a health safeguarding role holding a statutory post as Named Nurse for Children In Care working in partnership with Children’s Social Services and the multi-agency network to safeguard children and young people. Carol has been a panel member of the Fostering & Adoption Service and a panel member for the Contextual Risk Panel. She is AIM3 assessor trained for children who display harmful sexual behaviours. Carol is an experienced trainer, and a safeguarding and clinical supervisor. Carol is passionate about working together to maintain and promote professional curiosity to maintain the best possible standard of safeguarding care for all.