About Us

Jane started working with parents and their children in Scotland over 35 years ago, in residential care, where she then did her training in a CAMHS team. Jane has been a qualified Social Worker for the past 20 years, supporting family relationships.

Jane firmly believes that the most marginalised families in Scotland should have access to services, especially the bespoke services of the Lilias Graham Trust and that every child should have the opportunity to grow up with their family where possible. She loves her job and is grateful for the people that she spends time with on their journey at the Lilias Graham Trust

David has worked off and on at The Lilias Graham Trust since 2012. His current role as Family Practitioner involves helping the families on residential placements to learn how to care for and bond with their children.

David says that seeing families go home together is the best part of his job.

Becky qualified as a Mental Health Practitioner in 2004 and worked for the NHS for 7 years in this role. In 2012 she relocated to Scotland and took the opportunity to change direction.

Becky joined Aberlour as family outreach worker in 2013 working with families with young children in the community, then moved to work in HMP Cornton Vale as a Mother and Baby worker, supporting pregnant women and women with young children.

In 2019 she joined Women’s Aid, initially working with women and then moving into managing the family outreach and the children and young person’s service. In 2023 she moved to SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) as the manager of the children and young persons service.

Becky holds an SCQF level nine in Leadership and Management of a Young Person’s Service. She is a qualified Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate and has trained in Video Interaction Guidance, Seasons for Growth and Infant Massage, which all support families and children to grow, develop and navigate challenges together.

Becky is passionate about supporting families and ensuring that all children have the opportunities and support to reach their full potential.

Leanne has worked for many years at the LGT and currently works part-time alongside studying for her Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy.

She enjoys building therapeutic relationships with the families and supporting them in developing their parenting skills.

Leanne particularly enjoys seeing the parents confidence grow in their interaction with their children and seeing family relationships strengthen through this.

Stacy Nicol

Stacy gained her HNC qualification in 2018 in Social Services and has worked in residential childcare, housing support and outreach for young people and families within the local authority. 

She first worked as a sessional Family Support Worker at LGT in 2008 for a few years, returning to do her placement in 2017/2018 and then back again in 2023. 

Stacy absolutely loves working at LGT and supporting families to bond and care safely for their children and helping them to reach their ultimate goal to live as one family. 

She is always willing to learn new skills and is looking forward to working towards her SVQ this year. 

Rhona started out as a volunteer and housekeeper in 2008 before she became a Family Support Worker and now a Family Practitioner.

Her many years of experience of working with families is hugely beneficial in supporting the families with all aspects of everyday parenting, including baby-care, routines, budgeting and cooking. She helps parents to develop the skills they need to care for their children before they go home.

Rhona says that seeing the families achieving their goals whilst they are at the LGT is one of the most rewarding parts of her job. She hopes that the LGT will continue to expand its accommodation so that it can help more families.

Liz Shewan

Liz spent 33 years working with the Local Authority in Social Care, Health & Social Care as a Social Care Practitioner and at Snowden House as a residential Child Care Assistant/Night Care Officer, before taking early retirement, which lasted only 4 months!

Liz says she has been fortunate enough to have the opportunity of working at the LGT for almost a year as a Sessional Worker and she is passionate about the work everyone does to support families at LGT.

Liz has her SVQ (Level 3) in Social Care, OU Health & Social Care and Counselling (Level 2) and Mental Health (Level 2&3). 

Liz is a great believer that you never stop learning in life and are never too old to learn new skills, “so take the hand that offers the chance to learn, grow, become empowered - that is what the LGT does so well for the families and there is such a good team to enable this”.

Emma Macmillan

Jenna graduated from the University of the West of Scotland in July 2022, with a degree in Psychology. She joined the LGT team shortly after.

She loves working with the incredible staff team and families at LGT. She especially enjoys seeing the parents' confidence grow which supports them to create positive attachments within their family.

Jenna hopes that the service continues to grow so that it can help to support more families to stay together where possible.

Jenna also volunteers for a crisis text-line, Shout.

Jack graduated from Stirling University with a master’s in psychology in October 2023. He joined the LGT team in July 2024 after having volunteered at a brain injury clinic in Glasgow since March 2023. He loves contributing to the remarkable work that happens at LGT and seeing families grow and create strong bonds together.

He believes that his background in psychology and experience working with vulnerable young people and adults can help the families at LGT and hopes that the service can continue to prosper and help more families due to the passionate and amazing work from the team.

Katrina Morris, Family Support Worker.

Kat graduated from Stirling University with a first-class Psychology degree in 2024. Having volunteered at LGT during the summer, she returned as a sessional worker to continue helping our families thrive and flourish.

 She loves working with such a passionate and caring team at LGT and seeing the difference that it makes to families we support. She has always wanted to work with children and families, improving their lives and helping to fulfil their potential.

At LGT each family is different, and Kat loves that every day is a new learning opportunity, and chance to make someone’s life better.  

Richard has worked with children and parents for many years but started in industry before setting up an outdoor group work service for children and young people. He went on to qualify as a social worker, practicing and managing in local authorities and with Barnardos.

He has been an independent social worker since 2005 and has been LGT’s social work consultant for fifteen years.

Richard advises local authorities, lawyers and other services, provides training and still spends the majority of his time in direct work (lots of tea drinking) with parents and their children.

Richard thinks LGT’s service is so effective because it adapts to each child and parent. “In each family, every person’s experience is complex and unique, so we must understand and learn from each parent and child, offer a mix of approaches that nurture parents’ capacity and constantly question our ideas and assumptions. When combined with practitioners’ relationship and teaching skills, this open approach becomes a powerful way of unlocking families’ potential to care for children.”

Richard says it is an extraordinary privilege to be involved with LGT parents and practitioners at such a pivotal time for children.

He lives nearby with his wife Sue, has two grown up children, likes a good film and enjoys getting out and about in the hills.

Born in Scotland, Alice has worked as a HCPC registered Music Therapist since 2013 in the UK and India.

Alice now specialises Music Therapy work in the field of trauma and learning disabilities, working with young people and adults in a range of clinical and community settings.

A passionate advocate of health and music, Alice has published work in the British Journal of Music Therapy, and presented at the World Conference of Music Therapy.

Lorraine is a Clinical Psychologist hwo works with LGT to offer psychological assessment of children and parents and consultation to the LGT team.

As well as providing services to LGT, she works as a Principal Clinical Psychologist and Senior Clinician for a leading charity supporting adopted, fostering and kinship families.

Lorraine has over ten years’ experience working in the NHS, specialising in child and adolescent mental health. She also works in independent practice providing independent and expert witness reports for social work departments and courts, considering issues such as children’s residency and contact needs, parenting capacity and risk, and children’s mental health and development.

Patricia joined the LGT team in 2023 and has been a HCPC registered Art Therapist since 2007. Patricia works alongside children and families to use creativity for exploring emotions and experiences in a non-verbal way as well as building confidence and offering opportunities for relaxation and connection.  Patricia’s work is attachment and trauma informed and her approach is flexible to meet people where they are at. 

Patricia also works with children and young people in schools, health settings and in the community and she also offers supervision and consultation to other therapists and organisations. Patricia’s doctoral research explored the impact of poverty in therapeutic sessions, and she has also completed a PgC in Child Protection.  Patricia is working towards a Diploma in Therapeutic Life Story Work and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children and pet tortoise.  

Dee was a triple duty nurse for 12 years, working as a midwife, health visitor and district nurse for the Killin and Callander area. In 2014, She won the NHS Outstanding Care Award.

As a health visitor, Dee met with families at The Lilias Graham Trust over many years, before she became our Family Health Consultant in 2014. She advises families on health and wellbeing.

Dee lives in Killin and is also a Foster Carer.

Sara has been a BAPT registered Play Therapist since 2009 and started working with families at LGT in 2021. She is committed to offering children and their families a safe, therapeutic space where they can connect, explore and grow by finding ways to understand themselves, their needs and the world around them.

Sara uses an integrated and creative approach informed by child centred and psychodynamic theory whilst also utilising skills and research in attachment, sensory and somatic based approaches including Theraplay and DDP. At the heart of her work is listening and responding to the needs of the child.

Sara also prioritises strength and relaxation through fun and laughter with her daughters, family and friends; concentration and mindfulness through creativity, knitting and sewing; and freedom and exploration through yoga, outdoor swimming, paddle boarding and spending time with nature and a bit of Strictly and charity shop shopping too!’

Dr Robert Lindsay has been at The LGT since 2010, working as the Consultant Psychiatrist and Family Therapist. Robert offers a psychiatrist’s view on individual adults and children during their placements. He also uses family therapy training to help staff understand dysfunctional relationships within families.

Robert retired from the NHS but continues to run an independent practice. He says he hopes that The LGT can begin to evaluate the services it provides so that the model might be better known and understood elsewhere.

Jess is a BACP registered counsellor who is available to offer therapeutic support to all families accessing the LGT.

She works predominantly from a psychodynamic perspective, which honours the importance of the past, and particularly past relationships, and considers their impact on the present.

Jess’s approach is attachment-based and her counselling is non-judgemental and client-centred in that parents control the pace of the work and always have a choice about what to bring to therapy. Jess has experience of counselling in private practice and the voluntary sector and has a particular interest in supporting people affected by trauma and loss.

Jess is also a qualified social worker with almost two decades of experience working within children and families social care, in both the statutory and voluntary sectors. This offers an important insight into the systems in place to protect children and support families, as well as the invaluable role of the LGT in contributing to decision making processes.

With this understanding of the huge challenges often facing families, Jess is glad to be able to offer a safe space and opportunity for parents and carers to share their stories while at the LGT.

Claire is one of our longest serving staff, having started at LGT in 2006.

Her job has developed and evolved along with the organisation and she now supports all aspects of finance and administration and is Company Secretary to the Board.

Claire says that witnessing successful outcomes for families is the most rewarding part of working for the charity and she hopes that The LGT can continue to provide a chance for families to remain together and thrive in their communities.

Helen joined The LGT in July 2021, working in the office to support all the staff in their work with the families.

LGT is a great place to be, everyone works together doing their very best to help the families stay together.

With feet back on firm ground after a thirty-five year flying career, ranging from Army and Police Helicopters to transatlantic airliners, John is now helping out part-time by looking after the estate and grounds at The Lilias Graham Trust – a never ending job!

He came to cut the grass but as everyone knows, once you start at the Trust.... One day it will be unblocking drains, another it will be sorting IT, or putting cots together.

He lives just over the hill and is married to Rachel - a vet. His big black Labrador Dart makes an appearance at times too.

Julie has worked as the Housekeeper at The Lilias Graham Trust since 2014 so she knows the place inside out. Her job involves the general cleaning of the main house and also the preparation of the family accommodation units for new families to move in. She also helps families prepare their accommodation for returning home.

Julie says her favourite part of the job is meeting all of the families, especially the babies! She hopes that the LGT will continue to expand and help more and more families to come.

Ben Walker

Sheila joined the Board at the end of 2021 and is currently Chair.

She started her career in the Education Department of Glasgow Corporation and thereafter remained in local government with Central Regional Council, Clackmannan District Council, Clackmannanshire Leisure Trust and finally as Principal Officer for Leisure with Clackmannanshire Council. She has always believed that sport and leisure activities are a constructive use of leisure time and enrich the lives of all who take part.

Sheila was heavily involved with introducing Leisure activities as part of an intervention programme to tackle isolation, social exclusion and mental health issues. She believes very strongly in social justice for all, has been involved in many community projects for over 50 years and has a wealth of experience in managing the budgets and aims of all of those organisations.

Susan joined the Board in 2023.

Her career journey began in the world of journalism, where she started as a newspaper journalist in Edinburgh and later in London.

She served as a Panel Member in the Children's Hearing System for 6 years. Her commitment to the well-being of children inspired her to return to university to study law at Strathclyde University with a specific focus on becoming a children's reporter.

For more than a decade Susan worked as a children's reporter covering areas within Falkirk, Clackmannanshire and Stirling. Her passion for advocating for children's rights and welfare has been central to her working life.

Susan is an Accredited Family Mediator since 2014. She continues to enhance her mediation skills through Relationships Scotland and mediates for Family Mediation Central.

Outside of her professional life, Susan enjoys a range of interests including hillwalking, tennis, family and friends.

Belinda is The Lilias Graham Trust’s Fundraiser and a Trustee/Director of the Board.  She first became involved with the charity in 1999, when the Chairman asked if she could lend a helping hand. Belinda says she originally volunteered to “stick stamps in the office, not fundraise!” but she has now been the organisation’s main fundraiser for many years.

Belinda says seeing the difference in the charity since she first began on the Board has been a fascinating experience. “There was no office, no paperwork, no copying machine and no money,” she says, “so much has changed since I joined the Board, whilst remaining focused on our ‘family’ ethos as laid down by Lilias Graham way back in the 1960’s"

Angus joined the LGT Board in the Summer of 2023.

He has lived in Kippen since 2009. In his day job, he has been the CEO of Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC), the Centre of Procurement Expertise for, and jointly owned, by all of Scotland’s Universities and Colleges since 2009. Before this he was the Commercial Director at City University London where he worked for 7 years, and before that, he worked in various supply chain and project management roles for Unilever Plc in the UK and overseas for 16 years.

Angus is a keen walker and biker, and also volunteers at another charity, the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust, where he can be found driving vintage buses around Glasgow on open days and events!

A member of The Lilias Graham Trust Board since 2008, Brian was the Headmaster of Queen Victoria School in Dunblane from 1995 until he retired in 2006. During his tenure, he raised the profile of the school worldwide, leading tattoo performances in Nova Scotia, Switzerland, Edinburgh and rugby/pipe band tours to as far away as Australia.

As well as sitting on the board at the Trust, Brian is also an active member of Perth Rotary, Perth Left Bank Community Development Trust and was involved in coaching Scottish Junior Rugby.

Brian and his wife, Jean, live in Perth.

I am now retired having worked 42 years in banking with both Clydesdale Bank and Handelsbanken.

Family life, I am happily married to Christine whose two children, together with my three sons are a handful but thankfully they have now all moved out. We are blessed with four grandchildren, three boys aged 12, 8, and 4yrs and a granddaughter aged 2yrs.

Family takes up a lot of Christine’s and my time, but I do manage to attend and watch Ice Hockey and Football most weeks.

Glenys has long been involved with the charity. As Head Teacher of local school Thornhill Primary, Glenys welcomed the children and families that stayed at the organisation into the community when it was known as Braendam Family House.

Now retired, Glenys was a teacher, head teacher of two small schools and latterly a Quality Improvement Officer for Children’s Services.

She says that she shares the philosophy of The Lilias Graham Trust in their support of families and children and says that every child has the right to be loved, nurtured and cared for in a safe environment.

Dr Melanie Durowse is a lecturer in Social Work with University of Dundee.

She started her social work career many moons ago with Criminal Justice as a Social Work Assistant before qualifying as a Social Worker.

Whilst she was a student, Melanie worked in both residential resources for both young people and older people.

Since then, she has worked in statutory child-care, foster care and for a Child Protection Committee in a quality assurance and self-evaluation role. During this time, she completed her MSc in Child Care and Protection with a dissertation around the journey through HMIe Child Protection Inspection.

A change in direction took Melanie into an Adult Protection Committee, setting up training resources and multi-agency evaluation processes, before moving back to practice as a Team Manager in Adult Services.

Melanie completed her PhD in 2021 with her thesis entitled "Financial harm in the context of adult protection: the complexity of factors influencing decision making".

Craig was co-opted onto the Board in the Spring of 2022.

He is a Solicitor with over 40 years of experience in all aspects of Civil Court work, especially in the area of family law. He is regularly called upon to provide reports for Sheriffs in the local Courts in contested applications for Residence and Contact, as well as in Adoption applications.

He was for many years a Safeguarder in the Children’s Hearing system and was at one time Vice Chairman of the Scottish Safeguarders’ Association. He came to the Board with practical and direct knowledge of the invaluable work done by the LGT and of the positive impacts it has on the families involved.

Craig was delighted to be asked to help to promote the unique service which LGT provides and hopes that he can bring his many years of work experience in the area of children and families to the Board.

Outside of work, he has been the Secretary of the Famous Alva Games for almost 30 years, was formerly a low level football referee, and is a keen follower of sport -although never himself professed any real athletic ability!