Children’s commissioner Ann Longfield has appointed a number of high-profile figures in social care, the government and the media to provide her office with strategic advice.
Government advisor Martin Narey, former Association of Directors of Children’s Services president, Alison O'Sullivan, Behaviour and Insight leader, David Halpern and BBC Children's Chief, Alice Webb are the new recruits who will join the Commissioner's national Advisory Board.
Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England said: “I am hugely grateful to this fantastic group of experts for their commitment and support for my work. Each already has an immeasurable impact on children’s lives in England and I'm delighted that we will be able to work together to bring about further improvement.
“My role is unique in that I work on behalf of children across the country and am accountable to them rather than executive or the Government. It is vital that I have in place a team of experts who can advise, challenge and support what I do to ensure children thrive. I very much look forward to working with the new board and am indebted to its members for giving up their time to add real value and impact to my work.”
The Advisory Board, which was established under the Children and Families Act 2014, has a mission to help deliver the children’s commissioner’s five-year plan, Ambitious for Children, increasing its impact and influence on behalf of England's 12 million children.
Existing members of the Board include;
- Professor Marian Brandon, University of East Anglia
- Lilly Caprini, UNICEF
- David Holmes, Family Action
- Javed Khan, Barnardos
- Natasha Finlayson, Who Cares? Trust
- Christine Davies, Youth Justice Board and Early Intervention Foundation.
The first meeting of the new group will take place in the autumn.
