About us
Our vision
We empower parents to break cycles of abuse, to transform the life-chances of whole families and move forward in positive change, starting with the baby. The baby is at the heart of everything we do.
Our story
Research, design, innovation
Evidence about the scale and impact of domestic abuse, on babies in the womb until the age of two, led us to focus on supporting families in the first two years of their babyâs life. We had the time and space to innovate, determined to create a new way to break intergenerational cycles of trauma.
Launching the For Babyâs Sake Programme
In 2015 we started our new therapeutic programme, working with families in Hertfordshire and London. The programme, targeting the effects of domestic abuse on unborn and very young babies, is the first to take a whole-family approach. We commissioned a major evaluation of its development and operation, from 2015-2019, led by Kingâs College London.
Collaboration and expansion
In August 2019, the For Babyâs Sake programme opened to families in Cambridgeshire in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council. By the end of 2019, a new Blackpool team was in place, in partnership with Blackpool Council and on behalf of Blackpool Better Start. These collaborative agreements with local authorities launched the area-based roll-out of our programme.
Continuity during lockdown
In March 2020, we immediately moved to delivering For Babyâs Sake CONNECT through video and phone calls with parents. Engagement remained high with existing families and with those who joined the programme during the Covid-19 pandemic.Â
Proven Success
In May 2020, we published a major four-year evaluation of the programme, led by Kingâs College London. The academic research team concluded that For Babyâs Sake is the âfirstâ known programme to âfill an important gapâ through âunique featuresâ that âaddress key limitationsâ of responses to domestic abuse.
Communicating our vision in new ways
In 2020 we launched a short animated film. This used the real voices of parents who tell the story of what brought them into the For Babyâs Sake programme, and the life-changing impact it had on them and their baby. This authentic and personal way of showing how we work has helped us reach new audiences.
For Babyâs Sake CONNECT –
reaching more communities
During lockdown, we started designing For Babyâs Sake CONNECT. This delivers the programme in a new way using technology including video calls. CONNECT means that we can work with families in some areas where we donât have a dedicated local For Babyâs Sake team. We are launching the prototype phase of For Babyâs Sake CONNECT early in 2021.
_Our people_
Meet the team
Trustees and Ambassadors
Stelio Stefanou OBE DL
Stelio Stefanou OBE DL
Stelio Stefanou is chair and founder of The For Baby’s Sake Trust. It was set up with the aim of protecting those most affected by disadvantage.
Stelio came to the UK with his Greek Cypriot parents when he was six years old. His career in the oil, construction and public service industries culminated in the sale of his business, Accord plc in 2007. He founded The For Babyâs Sake Trust philanthropically in 2008.
Stelio is one of Hertfordshireâs Deputy Lieutenants and was High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 2016/17. He has held various industry roles, including CBI Regional Chairman and Chairman of the CBI Local Government Panel, and was awarded the OBE for services to business in 2004. Stelioâs interests include cooking and photography.
Adam Shutkever
Adam Shutkever
âI feel proud to be a part of a ground-breaking initiative to address the terrible damage caused by domestic violence and to break once and for all a cycle which has blighted countless lives.â
Adam has extensive senior management experience in the banking, investment and professional services sectors.Â
After reading Law at Clare College, Cambridge, Adam was called to the Bar in 1986. He then pursued a career in investment banking in London and New York before becoming Chief Financial Officer of Accord plc and, following its sale, founding a law firm, Riverview Law, which was sold to EY in 2018.
Adam is based in London and spends spare time with his family or on his bike â he is an enthusiastic amateur cyclist and has completed the legendary 1,400km ride from Landâs End to John OâGroats.
Lady Sally Knowles
Lady Sally Knowles
âThe dedication and commitment of the entire team at For Babyâs Sake to breaking the cycle of domestic abuse is awe inspiring. Based on extensive research, the programme that has been developed is positively changing lives now and will change the lives of future generations.â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Lady Sally Knowles is a qualified solicitor and gained specialist experience in insolvency and corporate recovery before becoming a Partner in an international law firm, within their Restructuring Group.
She has held non-executive and advisory positions, specialising in risk prevention, management and response and supporting clients to understand the threats to their people, information, property and reputation.Â
Since 2009, Sally has been a Trustee of Hoopers Africa Trust, a charity which aims to transform the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable girls in Kenya through education. To date, the Trust has funded more than 120 girls through secondary education and 11 through further education.
Dame Lin Homer
Dame Lin Homer
Dame Lin was Chief Executive and Permanent Secretary of the HMRC between 2012 and 2016. Prior to this role, she was Chief Executive of Suffolk County Council from 1998-2002, Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council from 2002-2005 and Director-General, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, at the Home Office between 2005 and 2008. From 2008-2011, Dame Lin was Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency and Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport, 2011.
Dame Lin was educated at Sir John Leman High School in Beccles, Suffolk, and undertook her Law degree at University College London. She is a qualified Lawyer.
Dame Lin was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath (DCB) in the 2016 New Year Honours List.
Philip Fellowes-Prynne
Philip Fellowes-Prynne
âI am delighted to be involved in the For Babyâs Sake programme that protects babies by providing tools and support for the parents to give their baby the start they never had.â                            Â
As well as being a trustee for The For Baby’s Sake Trust, Philip also provides mentoring and consultancy support to Logincident, a software start-up company.
Philip has a wealth of experience in the infrastructure and waste management sectors, including from 2008 to 2012 as Chief Executive of May Gurney Integrated Services plc, an AIM-listed support services and construction business. Prior to joining May Gurney, Philip was Chief Executive of Accord plc.
Frank Mullane MBE
Frank Mullane MBE
âSeventeen years after two of my family were murdered in domestic abuse, I have at last found a programme which aims to stop these horrors right at the beginning.â
Frank is the CEO of AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) a centre of excellence for reviews after domestic homicide and for specialist peer support. AAFDA provides specialist, expert advocacy to families after fatal domestic abuse (which includes suicides and unexplained deaths) and helps professionals.
Frank helped ensure that Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) became law. He also helped develop a model, thought to be unique in the world, which helps families to be integral to reviews after domestic homicide. He continues to work closely with the Home Office to enhance the methodology.
Frank is a âreaderâ of DHRs (advising the Quality Assurance Panel via detailed assessments), he trains people to chair DHRs and is frequently published on domestic abuse.
Frank is an honorary fellow of the University of Gloucestershire where he also is a visiting lecturer. He was awarded an MBE in 2019.
Senior Leadership Team
Amanda McIntyre
Amanda McIntyre
Amanda led the multi-agency and interdisciplinary teamwork between highly respected experts to create The For Babyâs Sake Trustâs flagship programme.
Amandaâs career has focused on bringing together the public, private and voluntary sectors to improve public services and strengthen local communities. Her previous positions include Head of Modernising Government at the CBI and Public Affairs Director at Accord plc.
She is a primary school Chair of Governors in Ponders End, Enfield.
Elaine Fulton
Elaine Fulton
Elaine plays a leading role in creating and maintaining The For Babyâs Sake Trustâs strategic partnerships, including negotiating collaborative arrangements with local authority partners. She managed the contract for the evaluation of For Babyâs Sake, acts as the Trustâs Data Protection Officer and sits on a number of national partnership bodies, including the Early Years Fundersâ Group and Parenting Programmesâ Alliance.
Elaine has extensive operational management, commissioning and strategic leadership experience in the voluntary and community sector, health service and local government. This included responsibility for Early Years and Childcare Services, Young Peopleâs and Family Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services as well as leadership of early intervention and prevention strategies and multi-agency, integrated working and system innovation.
Elaineâs experience has led her to bring together a team of academics and local authority partners to develop the case for a fully evaluated early childhood intervention programme in order to build the UK evidence of the impact of early and earlier intervention. This is a work in progress which Elaine does in her spare time
Judith Rees
Judith Rees
Judith took up her role at For Babyâs Sake Trust in July 2015, having worked in the NHS for 33 years.
While with the NHS Judith was a Staff Nurse, Midwife, Health Visitor, Practice Teacher, and, Safeguarding Children’s Nurse and Team Leader for Health Visitors and School Nurses. She went on to set up the Family Nurse Partnership Team in Hertfordshire and was Supervisor for four years. â
Judith completed an MSc in Child Protection and Child Welfare. Her dissertation was on producing an assessment tool for Health Visitors responding to police notifications of domestic abuse where there were children or an unborn baby in the family.
Judithâs passion for early intervention and safeguarding in relation to domestic abuse and her training, supervision and safeguarding skills are being put to excellent use at The For Babyâs Sake Trust.
Independent Safeguarding Advisor and Therapeutic Lead
Jon Chapman
Jon Chapman
âI have been involved in managing domestic abuse and services for vulnerable children for a number of years, what initially attracted me to Babys Sake and keeps me motivated to remain involved is that the program provides a real opportunity to address the cycle of abuse in a meaningful way. Another significant feature, for me , is the leadership desire and absolute determination to tackle the most difficult issues.â
Jon is an experienced child and adult safeguarding professional, underpinned by over 30 years of Police service.
Since retirement Jon has been involved with development work for Safeguarding Boards, Local Authorities and more recently the Church of England.
Jon, is an Independent Safeguarding Chair and author of: Serious Case Reviews, Safeguarding Adult Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews.
Jon is active as a Chair of Governors for a local school. He has a passion for rugby, which all of his children play.
Brenda Evans
Brenda Evans
Brenda is a qualified and highly experienced psychodynamic therapist and clinical supervisor who has worked in this sector for over 25 years.
She has managed and developed multidisciplinary teams to support families with multiple and complex needs. Her specialist area is working with families where domestic abuse and substance misuse impact the wellbeing of all family members.
Brenda established and developed a thriving private practice for several years and lectured in therapy across Hertfordshire.
Brenda also has a degree in Human Resources and worked as an HR and training director for many years
Our values
Dignity and repsect
Efficiency and high performance
Being a team - we, not I
Making a difference
Doing the right thing