Meet the leadership team
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- Clare Deards - Corporate Director Integrated Adult Social Care (DASS)
- Faith Robinson-Wain - Director of Integrated Adult Social Care
- Grace Lynch - Director of Commissioning, Improvement and Assurance
- Danielle Smith - Principle Social Worker
- Sophie Palmer - Principal Occupational Therapist
Clare Deards
Corporate Director Integrated Adult Social Care (DASS)
I am Clare Deards, Corporate Director of Integrated Adult Social Care since January 2024. I have been a proud member of Swindon Borough Council’s Adult Services team since 2017, when I began as Head of Service. Over this time, Swindon has supported my professional development, enabling me to grow as a leader and make a meaningful impact.
What I value most about working in Swindon is its openness, transparency and its dedication to being a learning organisation. These values are deeply embedded in the culture of Adult Social Care, where everyone is welcomed, every voice is valued and individuals are empowered to excel. Together, we strive to achieve the best outcomes for the residents we support.
As a registered Social Worker since 1997, I am passionate about tackling inequalities and embedding a rights-respecting, strengths-based approach (PDF) across our services. I am particularly proud of our co-designed Adult Services Strategy (PDF) and the collaborative Working Together Plan (PDF).
Faith Robinson-Wain
Director of Integrated Adult Social Care
I am Faith Robinson-Wain, Director of Integrated Adult Social Care, having joined Swindon Borough Council in October 2024. Before this, I spent over 15 years in Worcestershire working across various social work, management, and senior management roles within the local authority and the NHS. My experience spans community social work, mental health, and learning disabilities services.
I am passionate about supporting local communities, with a strong focus on reducing inequalities, promoting prevention, and fostering partnership working. By embedding strengths-based practices, I strive to ensure improved outcomes for adults, carers, and their families.
My role is to provide strategic leadership for the delivery and management of adult and safeguarding services, ensuring that we continue to achieve excellence in serving Swindon’s residents.
Grace Lynch
Director of Commissioning, Improvement and Assurance
I am Grace Lynch, Director of Commissioning, Improvement and Assurance in Adult Services. I have been a proud member of Swindon Borough Council since 2019, taking up this Director post in July 2024, following my leadership of the adults transformation programme.
My role is to provide strategic leadership for commissioning, improvement and assurance. We commission a range of regulated (by the Care Quality Commission) and non-regulated services, including extensive support from the voluntary and community sector. I am passionate about delivering meaningful change and improvements for the people we support, ensuring they have access to the right high-quality support at the right time.
I am looking forward to launching our Commissioning Strategy in March 2025, a strategy informed by the experiences and views of the people we support, our providers, the voluntary sector, our frontline practitioners and our partners.
A key part of my role is working collaboratively across the council with services such as Children’s, Housing, and Public Health, ensuring a joined-up approach to commissioning that delivers better outcomes for the people we support.
Danielle Smith
Principle Social Worker
I am Danielle Smith, and I have served as Principal Social Worker in Adult Services since 2020. With 15 years of experience in adult social care, spanning both practice and management, I am deeply committed to improving outcomes for adults, carers and their families in my hometown.
As Principal Social Worker, I provide strategic leadership to ensure high-quality professional practice across Adult Services. This involves creating the right conditions for social work to thrive by developing and implementing policies, driving service improvements, supporting workforce development, and upholding professional standards through our quality assurance framework.
A key part of my role is acting as a bridge between social work practice and senior leaders. I work to ensure that the voices of social workers and the people we support are central to decision-making processes.
Sophie Palmer
Principal Occupational Therapist
I am Sophie Palmer, Principal Occupational Therapist in Adult Services since 2023. With 14 years of experience in Adult Social Care Occupational Therapy, I bring enthusiasm, compassion and expertise to my role, spanning frontline practice, strategic planning and service development.
As Principal Occupational Therapist, I promote the value of Occupational Therapy within the Council, ensuring excellence in professional practice and fostering a culture of pride in our work. My role includes measuring quality in service delivery, leading practice improvements, and supporting the delivery of Adult Services’ vision to enable 'a good life, a home, a friend and a purpose' for Swindon’s residents.
A critical part of my role is acting as a bridge between practitioners and senior leadership, ensuring that Occupational Therapy staff are equipped to provide high-quality, strengths-based services. Key responsibilities include:
- Overseeing the Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship programme and practice education opportunities
- Developing practice guidelines, workforce development plans and policies
- Leading Practice Quality Forums and delivering on the Quality Assurance Framework
- Driving targeted initiatives, such as the 'Optimising Care Project'
- Overseeing the quality and performance of the Integrated Community Equipment Service via the Joint Community Equipment Board
Principal Occupational Therapists champion preventative, personalised and strengths-based social care services, focusing on enablement and promoting the independence and well-being of our community.