BIOGRAPHY: With 23 years experience within UK public services, and Managing Director of KSL, Kevin’s direct project support work is in health, social care and children’s services. He offers commissioning or contracting support, and mental health or children’s services consulting, for public, private and third sector organisations. Kevin was previously an Executive Director for CareandHealth, a specialist health, social care and children’s services company. He was responsible there for the origination of new projects, products and partnerships, and for the management of national conferences.

Until early 2006, Kevin was Head of the Inter-Authority Partnership Unit, Kent County Council’s delivery agent for council-to-council improvement contracts, in particular for Swindon. From 2003 -2006, Kevin was Strategic Policy Manager in KCC corporate services, his major brief being to work with the Innovation Forum of high-performing English councils on national projects.

Kevin graduated from Stirling University in Scotland, returning to London to work in Education Welfare for the ILEA. Following a child psychiatric placement, he qualified in 1982 with a Masters in social work at the LSE. In 1991 he qualified as an adult education teacher. He worked his way up through social services operations and commissioning, initially in children’s services, then adult/mental health services. He’s still a GSCC registered social worker.

After graduating again with Distinction in an MBA from the University of Kent in 1995, he was appointed to lead integration projects in Kent at the NHS-local government interface, and then nationally. Kevin has developed a passion for children’s services, mental health and public health, and for public service efficiency and improvement. In 2004, he edited and launched the seminal Smith Institute publication, Community Leadership & Public Health: The Role of Local Authorities – at number 11 Downing Street.

KEVIN SKINNER