About Linda Nell
Ms Linda Nell completed her BA(SW) degree in 1976 and her BA(SW)(Hons) degree in 1977 at the University of Pretoria. She began her career at Pretoria Child Welfare in 1978 as a social worker. She was promoted to the rank of supervisor (a middle management post) in 1981. In 1985 she was promoted to Assistant Director and in 1987 to Director (CEO) of Pretoria Child Welfare, where she held the reins until 1998.
In 1998 she joined the Family and Marriage Association of South Africa (FAMSA), where she served as director and relationship therapist until 2002, when she joined Pam Golding Real Estates and Real Net Real Estate as a franchise owner.
In 2008 she went back to the social work profession and was appointed Principal (manager) of Bramley Child and Youth Care Centre, which falls under Child Welfare Tshwane. In 2010 she was appointed Director (CEO) of Child Welfare Tshwane, which she again headed until her retirement in March 2023. In April 2023 she joined Family Dynamics Mediators as a full-time mediator and parenting coordinator.
Ms Nell is accredited as a divorce and family mediator and as a parenting coordinator by the South African Association of Mediators (SAAM) and the Social Justice Association of Mediators (SJAM).
In 1983 Ms Nell obtained a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pretoria, with Supervision as her specialty. Her thesis was entitled “Motivation as an integral part of the supervision process” (Motivering as ’n integrale deel van die supervisie proses).
She has served on various national welfare boards and regional and local children’s forums and attended various national and international conferences on child and family welfare.
She is a registered social worker (10-03501) with the South African Council for Social Service Professions.
She is a member of the South African Association of Social Workers in Private Practice (SAASWIPP). She practices as a social worker specialising in family and child protection matters, children’s socio-emotional assessment and evaluation matters, and parent effectiveness and co-parenting training.
Ms Nell often acts in the interests of children in child protection cases in the children’s court.