Derek Evans is a social worker, played by
Simon Lowe. In March 2007, he visits
Bert Atkinson (
Dave Hill) and his grandson
Jay Brown (
Jamie Borthwick), when Bert is trying to get a residency order for Jay to live with him permanently. Jay charms Derek, offering him a cup of tea and talking to him politely, impressing him. In January 2008, Derek visits
Tanya Branning (
Jo Joyner) and her sister
Rainie Cross (
Tanya Franks). In October that year, he attempts to sort out Jay's foster care problems when
Billy Mitchell (
Perry Fenwick) offers to care for him, as Jay does not want
Dawn Swann (
Kara Tointon) to be his foster mother. Derek inspects the flat above
The Queen Victoria public house, and allows Jay to stay with Billy, despite
Roxy Mitchell's (
Rita Simons) messiness. In July 2009, he visits
Denise Wicks (
Diane Parish) after
Jordan Johnson's (
Michael-Joel David Stuart) mother
Trina (
Sharon Duncan Brewster) reports her to the police, claiming that Denise has been abusing Jordan. In June 2010, he visits
Phil Mitchell (
Steve McFadden) to assess his family situation involving his children
Louise (Brittany Papple) and
Ben (Charlie Jones), who has assaulted Jordan. The following month he visits Phil and his mother
Peggy Mitchell (
Barbara Windsor) to say that Louise's mother
Lisa Fowler (
Lucy Benjamin) has made an application to see her daughter. Derek explains that the final decision is not up to Phil and Peggy says that Derek is a typical social worker – an interfering, home-wrecking busybody. Derek responds sarcastically and leaves. When Peggy returns Louise to Lisa, they contact Derek again, and when he arrives, Phil steals his bag to get Lisa's address. In April 2015, Derek visits
Kat (
Jessie Wallace) and
Alfie Moon (
Shane Richie) after Kat attempts suicide. Kat refuses to tell Derek why she did it but assures him that it will not happen again. Alfie then tells Derek that he felt he had let Kat down but he would help her get better. Derek is satisfied with this and leaves. In July, he visits
Shirley Carter (
Linda Henry) and
Buster Briggs (
Karl Howman) to discuss them gaining custody of their granddaughter,
Jade Green (Amaya Edward). Buster informs Derek of his criminal record and Derek tells Shirley that single people can adopt children as well, prompting Shirley to nearly split up with Buster. In May 2016, Derek visits Billy and his partner
Honey Mitchell (
Emma Barton) after Jay returns to live with them after being convicted of a child sex offence to assess Jay being around their children,
Janet (Grace) and
Will Mitchell (Freddie Phillips). Billy and Honey insist Jay is innocent but Derek informs them that Jay's contact with their children must be supervised. Derek returns in August after Honey reports Jay to the police for possession of drugs which he had been dealing, to reassess their living arrangements. Derek tells Honey that he is concerned about her children's welfare due to the presence of the drugs and implies that Jay might be a danger to Janet and William, causing Jay to decide to move out of the flat. After Jay's home assessment discovers he is living with an underage Louise (now played by
Tilly Keeper) at Phil's house, Derek visits
Sharon Mitchell (
Letitia Dean) and despite Sharon insisting that she and Phil trust Jay, Derek tells her if Jay does not move out, Louise may have to be taken into care as her needs come first. ==Marco Bianco==