35 Years of dedication – Yorkshire based NSPCC assistant director celebrates milestone
From her first placement in a tiny Basildon office to leading services across the region, Debra Radford has dedicated her life to keeping children safe
The NSPCC in Yorkshire is celebrating this month as Debra Radford, Assistant Director for the NSPCC in the North East, Yorkshire & Humber, marks an incredible 35 years of service protecting children and championing their rights in the region.
Now based at the NSPCC’s hub in Leeds city centre, Debra’s journey began in the 1980s as a student social worker on placement in Basildon, Essex. The NSPCC office at the time was a modest Portakabin - a world away from the modern facilities of today.
She was just 23 when she began working directly with children who had been sexually abused. “It was daunting to begin with,” Debra recalls, “but I knew this was the work that I wanted to do. That first role shaped everything that followed – it gave me the drive to keep learning, to develop therapeutic skills to listen to children, and offer them help and support and to advocate for children to ensure their voice was heard.
After qualifying as a social worker, Debra worked for the local authority in Waltham Forest before returning to the NSPCC in York as a Child Protection Officer. She later became a Senior Practitioner in Barnsley, and developed the first Children’s Rights and Independent Visitors Service, championing children’s voices and rights for those living in the care of the Local Authority.
In 1999, Debra took maternity leave to have her daughter, but her passion for finding new ways to reach children never faded. Over the years, she has pioneered the use of creative arts and therapeutic interventions – helping children express feelings and experiences that words alone could not capture.
Looking ahead, Debra is as committed as ever. “I feel proud of what I’ve been part of,” she says, “but I’m also excited for what’s to come. There’s still so much to do – and I look forward to many more years with the NSPCC, working alongside such passionate and dedicated colleagues.”
Karen Squillino, NSPCC Local Services Director, said: "Thirty-five years is an incredible achievement, but it’s not just about the number – it’s about the lives changed, the colleagues supported, and the legacy created along the way.
“Debra has been there for children and families in their toughest moments, and she’s done it with warmth, skill and an unwavering belief that every child matters. She’s mentored so many of us, bringing calm when things feel overwhelming and offering insight that only comes from years of experience. To say she’s an inspiration doesn’t even cover it – she’s part of the fabric of the NSPCC here in Yorkshire."
In Leeds and across Yorkshire, the NSPCC works directly with children and families through services such as Letting the Future In (therapeutic support for children who have been sexually abused), Pregnancy in Mind (support for expectant parents experiencing anxiety or low mood) and DART (supporting mothers and children to heal and recover after domestic abuse) Together for Childhood (community-based prevention projects).