Our Story
WLA was founded in the Spring of 2017 and since then we have worked with a diverse range of public and private sector organisations, including UK governments.
Our associates are all successful system leaders who have been at the cutting edge of health and social care innovation and reform for over a decade, having designed and managed nationally recognised and award winning services. We are bound together by our shared values which guide everything we do.
Our work is evidence-based or where an evidence base isn’t established, we will work with our clients to generate practice-based evidence. We work with our clients and stakeholders to co-create innovative solutions, and we never forget that strong relationships are the basis of successful projects. For WLA, every project is the start of a relationship and it is that relationship that creates change.
We want to make a positive difference to the world and we actively support a number of charities.
Operation Encompass is an incredible charity that we a long-standing relationship with. Founded by David and Lis Carney-Haworth; Operation Encompass directly connects the police with schools to ensure support for children living with domestic abuse in their homes when there has been a police attended incident of Domestic Abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short-, medium- and long-term effects of domestic abuse. Read more about Operation Encompass here.
Our Associates
WARREN LARKIN
Founder, Managing Director
AMY BLACKWELL
Co – Founder, Managing Director
SARA BARR FROST
Associate
BOB BALFOUR
Associate
ROB DICKINSON
Associate
Resiliency Accelerator – starting a global conversation
Alongside leading trauma-informed care practitioner Becky Haas, Dr Warren Larkin will be delivering a Resiliency Accelerator – an event designed to start a global conversation on the implementation of ACEs science. Becky Haas is [...]
Resilience Task Force – a personal and professional journey
June 2020 saw the launch of the Resilience Task Force campaign, with national media coverage across print, broadcast and a significant response on social media. The impact we saw was a long way from [...]
The Science Behind Adverse Childhood Experiences
Never has it been so important that we truly consider what impact the last six months and what’s happening now, may have on our young people. Schools and education providers across the country (and [...]
“I recently attended the Young Minds “Addressing Adversity” Conference in Birmingham and thoroughly enjoyed your presentation, it made a huge impression on me. It gave me a number of new ideas to consider and also went some way to confirm my recent thoughts around Personality Disorder being a form of PTSD”
“It was a pleasure to work with you on October 10th 2017, you delivered keynote presentation to over eighty professionals in Bradford during the Resilience – Adverse Childhood Experiences ( ACE) Seminar and you delivered key messages on the impact of ACE.
Your creative and engaging style set the tone requiring a sophisticated and compassionate response, to build resilience when trust has been broken, with an importance to work collaboratively to safeguard those most at risk, despite the current public sector challenges.
As Chair of the event the most memorable was the introduction of the REACh Model and its approach which is successfully implemented with positive outcomes
I would have no hesitation to recommend you Warren to anyone looking to develop the ACE model”
“Dr Warren Larkin has supported post-graduate education in mental health at the University of Sunderland for many years, providing enthusiastic and engaging delivery around working with Chronic Psychological Trauma. Students have repeatedly feedback that his knowledgeable and practical expertise has given them something worthwhile to take back to their practice and we now look forward to welcoming his contribution to BSc Public Health at the University of Sunderland”
“We had the privilege of welcoming Dr Warren Larkin as the key note speaker at the recent (Jan 18) Stockport Safeguarding Adult and Children Boards joint development day.
His session really set the scene as we worked on defining our ‘All Age Neglect Strategy’ later in the day. He presented an overview of the evidence base relating to Adverse Childhood Experience, the role of Routine Enquiry and a flavour of Trauma Informed Schools.
There was a great deal of interest in the room and a lot of what he said resonated with practitioners working on the front line with vulnerable children and adults who find themselves in complex situations –‘Excellent speaker – knows how to hold the floor and keep the interest’.
There was a lot of interest from schools colleagues in relation to Trauma Informed Schools – ‘I will be in contact to hear and learn more’. Participants commented that it ‘stimulated them to think differently. Is this a speaker I would recommend – most certainly”
“Dr Warren Larkin’s presentation at the inaugural South West ACES conference for system leaders led was a pivotal moment in capturing and inspiring hearts and minds to view childhood vulnerability through the lens of the ACEs Approach.
We have benefitted from Warren’s extensive experience as a clinician, local leader, academic and national advisor.
Through these insights we have developed a new South West network of leaders and practitioners committed work in a trauma informed way, a fresh perspective in reducing drug related deaths and plans for a better understanding of perinatal mental health.
Other work continues. Thank you Warren”
“We have been grappling with how to integrate strands of complex needs work in Devon for some time; looking for core values and other unifying principles to help professionals from across sectors to find common ground. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma Informed Practice have emerged as frameworks of interest, and yet it has been difficult to know how to implement them in a meaningful way to improve our outcomes across the board.
Warren was invited to CoLab Exeter to help us understand the power and potential of these approaches, and explore as a cross-sector group, how we might apply them to one area of practice in particular – namely our work with women in the Justice system. In a one day workshop Warren brought these methods to life, by offering his insights and experience, and presenting complex material in a language and format that was accessible and exciting to everyone. The energy in the room was fantastic, and aside from receiving glowing feedback for the quality of the event from colleagues across this and a neighbouring county, we have also received requests and suggestions around piloting this work.
So all in all this day was a fantastic return on our investment, and something we would highly recommend”
“I had never come across ACEs before this training session and had no understanding of either the concept or the damage these experiences can cause the person as a youngster and in their later life.
The session was enthralling and on leaving the session I was absolutely blown away by the new knowledge I had learnt, the session was probably one of the best I have ever been to, so thank you.”
“Dr Warren Larkin provided a number of training sessions to Safeguarding Officers in our Professional Clubs during February 2020.
The sessions were engaging, informative and evidence based and increased all delegates knowledge in relation to Adverse Childhood Experiences.
As an organisation we are much more informed about ACE’s its impact on young people and how we can alter our practice to better support the welfare and safeguarding of young players in the future.
I would highly recommend booking training with Warren Larkin Associates, we are already discussing future sessions for our organisation with him.”
Proud to work with…
