Olive Stevenson is Professor Emeritus of Social Work at the University of Nottingham where she holds a continuing contract for supervision of research. She is a pioneering figure in social work and holds honorary degrees from the Universities of East Anglia and Kingston. She is an honorary Professor at the Hong Kong Poly- university and at Kingston University. She was awarded the CBE in 1994. She has chaired five Area Child Protection Committees and currently acts as consultant to individuals and voluntary organisations and adviser to projects in the field of child protection and fostering