Tenant Directory
OPEN MONDAY to FRIDAY 8.30 am - 5 pm 01226 249590
It’s not every day you meet someone who helped shape national safeguarding policy and still finds time to run free monthly webinars. But there’s nothing typical about Adele Gladman.
Adele began her career as a solicitor, specialising in cases involving violence against women and children. She moved from private law into care work, often representing children in the most vulnerable situations.
“I was lucky to either represent the children or the guardian appointed by the court to look after their interests,” Adele says.
But she soon became disillusioned. Time and again, Adele saw children failed by the very systems meant to protect them.
“There was an assumption they some were just difficult teenagers. But I soon realised their behaviour was a symptom of trauma,” she explains.
By the late 1990s, Adele was seeing a disturbing pattern. Many young girls on her caseload were victims of child sexual exploitation. Shocked and determined to make a difference, she began to dig deeper. That research led to a Masters’ degree, and a place on the Home Office’s Rotherham pilot to tackle what was then termed “child prostitution”.
Adele says the two years spent on that project were professionally and personally intense.
“It was horrific, but also brilliant. The model we developed became the basis for how police now prosecute these cases.”
After the pilot, Adele took a step back to reflect. She realised her future was in helping organisations understand safeguarding.
“That was the start of dipping my toe into the self-employed pool,” she smiles. “By 2006, with two young children, I went fully freelance.”
Adele took her company limited in 2012. Today, her business, Adele Gladman & Associates, offers safeguarding training and consultancy. She works with a wide range of clients from charities and universities to commercial giants like Merlin Entertainments, the group behind theme parks like Alton Towers and Legoland.
She offers bespoke training, whole staff events, and advanced workshops for safeguarding leads. On the consultancy side, she handles policy development, workplace audits, and independent investigations. She’s even worked on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and trains safeguarding officers for the Foreign Office.
“I love that no one day is ever the same,” Adele says. “My clients are so varied that it keeps me on my toes. But there are still lots of organisations who could benefit from what I offer. I want to be the first person they think of when they need safeguarding help.”
Lately, Adele is focusing on growing the business. She’s bringing trusted associates on board and launching a free monthly webinar series, Safeguarding Matters.
“The webinars are an easy way for people to keep their knowledge up to date. I know resources are tight right now, so this is my way of giving something back,” she says.
Adele is also developing two new initiatives around working with children and vulnerable adults. The first, On Reflection, is an advanced safeguarding series. The second, Safer Recruitment Solutions, will share best practices for recruitment services.
In March 2025, Adele moved into an office at The Business Village in Barnsley.
“I was a virtual tenant before the pandemic and worked from home. But when my husband retired, that was no longer viable – it was going to end in death or divorce,” Adele laughs.
The Business Village offered everything Adele needed: a convenient location, friendly staff, great facilities, and a thriving business community.
“It’s nice being in a professional environment,” she says. “My job can be lonely sometimes, so it’s great to chat with people in the communal areas. There’s so much knowledge here and I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to connect with someone for whatever I need. Plus, I can bring my dog, Martin, to the office.”
But Adele’s move has been more than a simple change in location. It marks a turning point for her business.
“I realised my business plan was 10 years out of date,” she admits. “I never had time to stop and plan because I was always too busy doing the work. The business was just me but to grow, you have to invest in planning and marketing. Now, I’m taking on associates, launching a new brand and website, and running events.”
Looking to the future, Adele plans to grow her team and bring in more admin support. But her goal remains the same – to make a difference.
“I love what I do and I’m passionate about it. Safeguarding is a serious topic, but my training leaves people energised. I know that tomorrow, they’ll go into the office and do something a little bit different. If that helps just one child or vulnerable adult, that’s why I do what I do.”
Contact Adele Gladman & Associates:
