Helen completed her degree in law in 2009 before continuing her studies part time on the Legal Practice Course whilst working in a solicitors firm in Wakefield to gain experience.

Helen joined Ridley & Hall in January 2012 after completion of the Legal Practice Course,  initially as a Legal Assistant working alongside Nigel Priestley to build up experience in the Public Law department. Helen completed her training contract at Ridley & Hall and qualified as a solicitor in October 2016.

Helen has a mixed caseload primarily acting on behalf of grandparents and other family members to ensure that they are supported in caring for the children who live with them. This includes Judicial Reviews of Local Authorities policies. Helen also deals with care proceedings matters, primarily on behalf of grandparents and other family members. However, she also regularly acts on behalf of parents.

Helen is regularly instructed by family members to give advice within care proceedings on the implications of Special Guardianship Orders. She is also instructed to represent family members wishing to obtain a Special Guardianship Order privately.

Helen recognises the huge commitments that kinship carers make for the young family members placed in their care by Social Services and strives to get them the support they need to care for these children long term. She adopts a sympathetic and understanding approach to all her clients.

Helen has had major successes in claiming allowances and back dated payments for kinship carers from Local Authorities across the country.