Founder & Designated Safeguarding Lead

Guided Futures Advocacy was founded by Shadie Banton-John, a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst with over 16 years of experience working with children and young people with additional needs across family homes, schools, nurseries, and community settings. Throughout her career, Shadie has designed and delivered programmes supporting children with complex needs while working closely with families, education providers, and professionals to ensure the highest standards of safeguarding, wellbeing, and care. She is also the founder of SEN Sports, an inclusive sports organisation operating multiple clubs across different local authorities and partnering with organisations such as Special Olympics Great Britain. In addition, Shadie is a registered childminder regulated by Ofsted, giving her further direct experience in safeguarding, compliance, and working closely with families. This combination of behavioural expertise, safeguarding practice, and operational leadership underpins the standards that Guided Futures Advocacy will bring to every family and local authority partnership.

Guided Futures Advocacy Advisory Board

Qualified Social Worker and Experienced Paediatric Healthcare Professional

Extensive experience supporting children and young people with complex needs, neurodisabilities and safeguarding concerns. She has worked across healthcare and local authority services, including adolescent early help, safeguarding social work and leaving care teams, where she has supported vulnerable young people and their families through holistic assessments and multi-agency collaboration. As Director of Treble Care Ltd, Keah provides independent, family-centred support for children with additional needs. She brings valuable expertise in safeguarding, SEND support and family advocacy to the Guided Futures Advocacy Advisory Board, helping ensure services remain ethical, practical and focused on improving outcomes for families.

Guided Futures Advocacy Advisory Board

Headteacher, The Gatwick School

David is an experienced Headteacher with a strong commitment to inclusive education and safeguarding. As Headteacher of The Gatwick School, he brings extensive leadership experience in supporting children and young people across a wide range of needs, including those with SEND.

David is a member of the West Sussex, DfE Local Inclusion Support Offer (LISO) board and a Trustee for Small Steps Children’s Charity, demonstrating his dedication to safeguarding, early intervention, and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

His expertise in school leadership, safeguarding systems, and multi-agency working provides valuable insight to Guided Futures Advocacy, helping to ensure that services remain aligned with best practice and truly centred around the needs and wellbeing of children.

Guided Futures Advocacy Advisory Board

Chartered Governance Professional

Kate Cummins Warkman is a Chartered Governance Professional and Company Secretary, bringing specialist expertise in governance, compliance, and organisational oversight. As an Associate of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (ACG), she has a strong foundation in ensuring organisations operate with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Kate’s experience in corporate governance provides valuable support to Guided Futures Advocacy, helping to ensure robust structures, clear decision-making processes, and adherence to best practice. Her role strengthens the organisation’s commitment to operating ethically and professionally, particularly as it grows to support families and vulnerable individuals.

Her insight is instrumental in ensuring that Guided Futures Advocacy maintains the highest standards of governance while delivering impactful and trustworthy services.

Guided Futures Advocacy Advisory Board

Social Worker, Children’s Services

Nicole is a registered Social Worker currently practising within children’s Services. With frontline experience supporting children and families, she brings valuable insight into safeguarding, statutory processes, and the complexities of multi-agency working.

Registered with Social Work England, Nicole is committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing, and best interests of children, particularly those who are vulnerable or have additional needs.

Her practical experience within local authority services strengthens Guided Futures Advocacy’s approach, ensuring it remains grounded in current safeguarding standards and real-world practice.

Guided Futures Advocacy Dedicated SEND Practitioner

Extensive experience supporting children and young people with additional needs. Through his work with our partner organisation, SEN Sports, Kenan has spent the past year building trusted relationships with families and delivering inclusive support to children with a wide range of needs. Known for his calm, compassionate and engaging approach, he has a natural ability to connect with young people and ensure they feel safe, valued and understood.

Kenan also brings a deeply personal perspective to his work, as he supports his brother who has special educational needs, giving him genuine insight into the challenges families can face.

With a strong safeguarding background and a passion for advocating for the voices of SEN children and young adults, Kenan will conduct family visits and produce a detailed report to help ensure every child’s needs, wellbeing and future support are properly recognised and advocated for.