Dr Marianne Forrester

Dr Marianne Forrester – Consultant Paediatrician in Aberdeen

Primary Specialty
Consultant Paediatrician

Qualifications
MB | MRCPCH 

Location: Aberdeen

Professional Profile and Experience

Dr Marianne Forrester is a highly experienced Consultant Paediatrician based at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital. With over 20 years of NHS service, she specialises in Child Protection, Community Child Health, and Developmental Paediatrics. She currently leads the Child Protection service for NHS Grampian and is nationally recognised for her clinical and strategic contributions.

Graduating from the University of Aberdeen in 1997 (MB ChB), Dr Cochrane holds Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (MRCPCH) and is GMC registered (No. 4398341). Her post-graduate training spans child development, neurodisability, adoption and fostering, and forensic safeguarding.

 

In her current role, Dr Forrester conducts medical assessments for children facing complex safeguarding concerns, including abuse, neglect, and fabricated illness. She collaborates with CAMHS, orthopaedics, radiology, plastic surgery, neurology, and emergency care to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. She also prepares safeguarding reports for court and participates in national forums such as Scotland’s Child Protection Complex Cases Forum.

Her Community Child Health responsibilities include developmental assessments, adoption and fostering medicals, and Looked After Children (LAC) health checks. She works alongside social work, education, dietetics, and mental health services to support children with autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental needs.

 

Dr Forrester has held senior leadership roles, including Unit Clinical Director for Child Health and Chair of the RCPCH Child Protection Committee (Scotland). She played a key role in shaping safeguarding policy and medical education across the region.

 

She is passionate about teaching and regularly delivers Level 3 safeguarding training to GPs, consultants, and multi-agency partners. Her work includes mentoring trainees and helping develop clinical pathways for new safeguarding professionals.

 

Dr Forrester is also active in research and audit, contributing to RCPCH guidelines and co-authoring The Physical Signs of Child Sexual Abuse (3rd edition). Her audits have improved documentation standards and LAC services in NHS Grampian.

Areas of Expertise: 

  • Child Protection & Forensic Safeguarding
  • Community Child Health
  • Looked After Children (LAC) Health Assessments
  • Adoption and Fostering Medicals
  • Autism, ADHD, and Neurodevelopmental Assessments
  • Multi-agency Safeguarding Collaboration

 

If you are seeking an experienced child protection paediatrician in Aberdeen, Dr Marianne Forrester offers trusted, compassionate, and expert-led care tailored to children’s complex needs.

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