Nicci Willock
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Five Rivers is one of England’s most experienced providers of children’s social care, dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and young people.
Five Rivers was founded in 1989 and is one of England’s dedicated children’s social care providers and for more than 35 years, we have been dedicated to one clear purpose: turning children’s lives around.
Our vision remains clear, and our commitment to our values unwavering. Together, we will continue to achieve great things and make a lasting impact.
Nicci Willock CEO
From the very beginning, children have been at the heart of everything we do, not as an aspiration, but as a lived commitment, embedded in practice, leadership and culture.
Our story begins with its founder, Pam McConnell, her vision was rooted in her real-world experience as a Social Worker, and her desire was to build a childcare service that prioritised children’s emotional wellbeing and truly understood children’s trauma; providing specialist care where it was needed most.
We continue to reinvest 51% of our profits and continually work to develop our services.. We use a research–informed approach to training, offering Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care Model® (ATICT® ) across Five Rivers to equip Foster Carers and our teams with the skills to support their foster children effectively.
Thanks to our wealth of experience, clear focus and good standing, we have been able to support 1000’s of children and will continue to help more.
To provide life-changing, expert, holistic caring services to vulnerable children and support them to turn their lives around.
Five Rivers is built on a systems-based approach integrating four key fundamental services. We support children and young people who have experienced neglect, abuse, trauma, or who need specialised help with their mental wellbeing.
Our Foster Carers provide warm and nurturing homes for children. We support them by offering continuous specialist training including Attachment & Trauma Informed Care (ATIC ®) and support from our clinical team. They are also supported by our experienced social work teams and managers.
Our teams are trained to create safe, stable, and nurturing homes for the most vulnerable children. We provide specialist therapeutic care based on our model of Attachment &Trauma Informed Care (ATIC ®) which is built on developmental knowledge to create personalised care plans with individual and group therapies.
All children and young people need to reconnect with their natural curiosity to rediscover their love of learning. Our schools and teachers provide imaginative and stimulating learning environments.
As a Social Enterprise we believe it is important to reinvest in developing our services, Five Rivers is leading in the area of validation assessment tools and devising treatment protocols for children and young people in need.
As a social enterprise, children are at the heart of everything we do. Guided by our strong values and a commitment to ethical practice, we reinvest 51% of our profits into the continual development of our services, helping us create meaningful, lasting improvements in the lives of children.
We are recognised as one of England’s most experienced providers of childcare and foster care services, combining specialist expertise with long term view of impact. We care deeply about the children in our care, which is why we use evidence-based practices and ensure that Foster Carers and responsible adults are trained in Attachment & Trauma Informed Care (ATIC ® ), with ongoing support from our clinical team.
I founded Five Rivers in 1989, having previously worked in the care system as a social worker, psychotherapist, family therapist, and expert witness.
At Five Rivers, our approach is inspired by the kind of childhood that most of us were lucky to have, one where you felt cared for, loved, valued and respected. We strive to create homes and schools where every child feels nurtured and safe, often for the very first time, and where they’re given the time and support to imagine a meaningful future for themselves.
Today, Five Rivers draws over 37 years of experience in recapturing the childhoods of children and young people who have experienced adverse childhoods. With our fostering community, residential children’s homes and support accommodation and our education services, we have never been better placed to turn children’s lives around.
Founder
Learn about the board who help steer our mission forward.
Richard Cross
Director of Clinical Services
Our Values
Consideration to one another and recognising and embracing each other’s differences.
Being able to adjust to new conditions, challenges, or environments. It’s about staying flexible and open-minded when faced with new situations, challenges, or information.
Acting honestly and consistently, even when no one is watching. It's about having strong moral values which can’t be compromised.
Showing up consistently and compassionately. Offering encouragement, sympathy, and kindness.
Striving to do our best in everything we do, turning every challenge into an opportunity to grow.
The Children & Young People’s Zone is a space for children and young people to explore, create, and be heard.
Here you’ll find helpful guides, fun events you can get involved in, and the brilliant ideas and projects created by young people.
At Five Rivers we take the thoughts and feelings of the children we care for seriously, and we work with them to improve their care.
At Five Rivers, we believe in the power of community and collaboration to drive meaningful change. We’re a purpose-driven Social Enterprise committed to helping children rebuild their lives after neglect, abuse, trauma, or family breakdown. We go the extra mile, making a difference to the children we work with and the communities they grow up in. We believe that real change happens when we work together. That’s why we are always looking to build meaningful partnerships with people and organisations that share our values and vision.
