Derek Conaty, Trustee

Derek is married with three adult daughters and four grandchildren. He and his wife have lived in Gloucester for 31 years and Derek was a GP in Brockworth for 28 years until he retired in 2013.

As well as being a GP, he also worked part time in the Learning Disability services of the 2gether NHS trust.

During his working life, Derek saw the important role that fostering has in some children’s lives and the great work that foster parents do. He also saw first-hand the extremely difficult and challenging circumstances that can affect some families. He hopes to be able to bring some of his experience of dealing with these situations as a GP and in the learning disability service to his role as a trustee.

He is impressed by Community Foster Care's commitment when assessing what is needed for a child, with the aim being that this should be ‘needs driven and not resource driven’.

He also thinks the work of Community Family Care is vitally important for some children and strongly supports any initiative that could make the difference in keeping families together.

He has been struck by the competence and professionalism of the staff and trustees of both charities, but in particular, he is bowled over by their enthusiasm to do the best possible for the families and children they are trying to help.

Derek feels that children and family life deserve all the support we can give them and believes Community Foster Care and Community Family Care do exactly that.