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Your Guiding Light for Quality Social Work and Successful Outcomes

Effective outcomes through quality practice and intervention

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Karl Marsden – Founder and Social Work Consultant

Expertise at Every Level

I began my social work career in 1999, following a successful teaching career as a Head of Department in Modern Languages and Classics. With experience spanning the voluntary, not-for-profit, for-profit, and local authority sectors, I bring a wealth of knowledge and leadership to every project.

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Auditing Expertise: Auditing and benchmarking local authorities and fostering agencies.

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Improvement Consultancy: Developing and implementing quality assurance frameworks.

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Fostering Agency Leadership: Senior management roles focused on interim and long-term quality improvement

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Regulated services expertise:  Extensive experience in commissioning, delivering and inspecting regulated services

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Quality Improvement: Proven success in quality improvement and complaint investigation.

Expert Training and Development Support For All You Services Needs.

Discover how Pharos can identify, and deliver on all your skills and knowledge gaps, and provide quality learning outcomes for foster cares, adopters and staff in fostering, adoption, residential care and across the children's services sector.

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About Pharos

Guiding Social Work Management & Practice Across the UK & Beyond

Pharos Social Work Hub is a Midlands-based consultancy operating across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Our mission is simple: to ensure successful outcomes for children by driving practice innovation and delivering quality at every level of social work.


Whether you are a commissioner, service provider, or practitioner, we are here to provide expert guidance, tailored interventions, and measurable results.

We will strengthen your services

Fill Out Our Form & Lets Shape The Future of Social Work.

Partner with Pharos Social Work Hub for expert consultancy and innovative solutions that make a difference. Let’s work together to achieve exceptional outcomes.