WillisPalmer’s leadership share their reflections on 2025 and their hopes for the year ahead
As 2025 comes to a close, we took the opportunity to reflect on the year just gone and the work delivered across WillisPalmer. From maintaining high professional standards in a challenging sector to continuing to support experts and safeguard children and families, the past year has brought both achievements and learning.
Below, Sarah and Dave share their reflections on the year, the challenges faced, how WillisPalmer has continued to adapt, and what they are looking forward to in the year ahead.
Looking back at this year, what stands out to you the most about the work we’ve achieved?
Throughout 2025, our fantastic experts have continued to provide high-quality assessments and services for vulnerable children and families. The fact that we receive very little negative feedback about our experts’ practice or reports, alongside filing 94% of reports on time, really demonstrates this.
This stands out as a significant achievement and reflects the commitment, professionalism, and consistency of everyone working with and alongside WillisPalmer.
What challenges did we face as an organisation or sector, and how did we adapt?
Local authorities have continued to face the challenge of balancing an increasing demand for services with budgets and resources that do not always match the level of need.
We have listened carefully to local authorities about what is most important to them when commissioning independent experts. In response, we have adapted some of our processes, recruitment, fees and timescales, with the aim of ensuring our services remain accessible to as many local authorities as possible, while continuing to deliver the same high standard of assessments and service they expect from WillisPalmer.
How has our approach continued to evolve to meet the needs of children, families, and professionals?
WillisPalmer has always placed the needs of children at the centre of its approach to delivering expert services, and this continues to be the primary value shared by all staff and experts.
Our aim is to support our experts throughout every assessment, as well as more broadly in their work as independent professionals. We are particularly proud of our peer discussion sessions, which have provided ongoing support, interest, and learning throughout the year. Topics covered have included:
- Working with perpetrators of sexual harm
- AI and technology in practice
- The Cafcass domestic abuse pathway
- Media and public scrutiny of social work
- Animals in social work, including pets in assessments
- Court delays and the systemic pressures impacting child protection and permanence planning
What feedback from clients or experts has been most meaningful to you this year?
We truly value all feedback received from solicitors, local authorities, and families, particularly regarding the professionalism of our experts and the consistently high standard of the reports we produce.
This feedback would not be possible without the commitment, dedication, and professionalism of the experts who work with WillisPalmer — and we are extremely grateful for their continued work.
What are your hopes for the year ahead?
Looking ahead to 2026, we are excited to be planning further training opportunities around specialist risk assessments, including:
- Domestic abuse
- Sexual abuse (including alleged and non-convicted perpetrators)
- The Resolution Approach
- Child Sexual Exploitation
- Child Criminal Exploitation
Our hope is to continue supporting our experts to develop specialist knowledge and skills, enabling WillisPalmer to make valuable and meaningful contributions to child protection cases and care planning.
Overall, we aim to continue listening to, and supporting, the fantastic experts who work with us, while providing as many opportunities for independent assessment work as possible.
Thank you
Thank you to Sarah and Dave for sharing their reflections. We remain focused on delivering high-quality, timely, and compassionate services, and we look forward to building on this work throughout 2026.
