Baroness Claire Tyler of Enfield

Cafcass Board Members

Jennifer Bernard

Jennifer is a consulting director for City & Guilds.  She has worked extensively in the public and voluntary sectors, including as director of services for the NSPCC.  She is currently chair of the Child Poverty Action Group and the Social Care Association.  She is a registered social worker.

Prof. Ian Butler

Ian is a Special Adviser at the Department of the First Minister at the Welsh Assembly Government. He is also a Professor of Social Work, University of Bath. Ian has a strong commitment to working to promote and improve the interests of children and dealing with a wide range of front line services.

Terry Connor

Terry is Chief Executive of Cabrini Children’s Society, a voluntary child care organisation and adoption agency. He has extensive experience of work with children and families in the public and voluntary sectors and is GSCC registered. He has served as a Trustee on a number of voluntary bodies and was Chair of British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) for six years.

Mark Eldridge - Deputy Chair

Mark was first appointed as a Cafcass Board member on 6 April 2004. He is a management consultant and holds two part-time judicial appointments unconnected with family law. He is currently a member of the Children’s Commissioner's Audit and Risk Committee. Mark was formerly Director of Legal Operations, Greater London Magistrates’ Courts Authority (now part of HM Courts Service) and Chair of the Association of Justices’ Chief Executives.

Ernie Finch

Ernie has had senior commercial management and board experience holding key roles in project management, change programmes and customer service. He has successfully lead reviews in the public sector advising on and managing business development and improvement. This includes working with the family justice system to address unnecessary delay in Public Law Cases and contributing to Programme Boards and Steering Groups. Ernie has a portfolio of commercial and public interest roles.

Mary MacLeod

Chief Executive of the Family and Parenting Institute, Mary has a strong commitment to children and families and will bring an extensive research background to the Cafcass Board and a demonstrable ability to promote diversity.

Baroness Shireen Ritchie

Shireen is a Cabinet Member for Families and Children, Chair Children’s Trust Board, LA member Shadow Children and Families Team. She has a strong local government background and strong leadership skills and team working qualities.

Kamaljit Singh

Kamaljit is the Principal Solicitor for a West London Borough advising on the Law and policy relating to children, special educational needs, mental health and adults. She is a member of the Law Society's Children's Panel and was previously Vice-Chair and Acting Chair of West London Mental Health NHS Trust.

Nicholas Stuart

Former Principal Finance Officer for DfEE and now retired from the Civil Service, Nicholas Stuart is Chair of Governors at Edward Wilson Primary School and a Trustee of Harrow Mission. During a distinguished civil service career he was Private Secretary to the Head of the Civil Service and the Prime Minister, and a member of the Cabinet of the President of the European Commission. In DfEE he was Director General for Employment and Lifelong Learning, and Director General for Lifelong Learning.

Prof. June Thoburn CBE

Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of East Anglia. A qualified social worker, June has taught and researched across the field of child welfare since 1980. She provides expert evidence in complex foster care and adoption cases; and is a member of the Norfolk Family Justice Council. Between 2001 and 2008 she was Vice Chair of the General Social Care Council and was until recently the Chair of Jersey Child Protection Committee.