Chief of Care Commission awarded OBE

Monday, 14 June 2010 14:33

Jacquie Roberts, Chief Executive of the Care Commission has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to social care.

Jacquie's career spans over 40 years in the social work and social care sector. She has been a leading figure in many key developments within the sector and is passionate and focussed on achieving good quality care to improve the lives of vulnerable people.

After qualifying as a social worker Jacquie joined a team of experts in Oxford studying and working with families on how to prevent child abuse and neglect. She set up Polepark Family Counselling Centre in Dundee and during this time she won a European prize for her research and practice in child protection. Jacquie used the prize money to establish a small charity in Dundee for vulnerable children to access grants to support their sporting, musical or artistic interests.

Jacquie went on to become Director of Social Work for Dundee City Council and in 2001, she was appointed to her current position as Chief Executive of Scotland's care regulator, the Care Commission. She is proud of what the Care Commission has achieved in its eight years of existence and believes that ensuring good quality social care is vital to the health, wellbeing and success of people and communities in Scotland.

In 1986, Jacquie moved to Dundee with her husband, a consultant neurologist at Ninewells Hospital. They have two children and their son qualified as a doctor at Dundee University. Jacquie is a film addict and regular visitor to Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre and is most often found on the front row. She and her family love walking in the Scottish Hills and enjoy taking time out on the west coast.

Speaking of being awarded an OBE for services to social care, Jacquie said: "It is a great personal honour for me to be awarded an OBE and I hope that this is seen as an award for the very many conscientious and committed people who work in social care as much as it is for me. I strongly believe that everyone should receive very good care services that maximise their quality of life. Through focussing on the needs, aspirations and rights of people who use care, their families and carers we can continue to inform and influence improvements to the standards and quality of care in Scotland."