New Non-Executive Board Members appointed to Cafcass
21 April 2004
Margaret Hodge, Minister for Children, Young
People and Families, today announced the appointment of a Board for
Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support
Service).
Margaret Hodge said:
“I am pleased to announce that, following an
open competition, the Secretary of State has approved the
appointments of new Board members to work with the Cafcass Chair,
Baroness Pitkeathley OBE. The Government Green Paper “Every Child
Matters” and the Children Bill set out an exciting new agenda and
Cafcass has an important role in its delivery.”
The new Board members are as
follows:
Gillian Baranski – Justices’
Chief Executive, South Wales Magistrates’ Courts Committee, and a
barrister. She was formerly Clerk to the Cardiff
Justices/Chief Legal Advisor to the Cardiff Justices and has over
20 years experience of Family Courts. She is a resident of
Wales.
Jennifer Bernard - Director
of Services for Children and Young People, NSPCC. She has
previously been Chief Executive of the Central Council for
Education and Training in Social Work and Director of Social
Services at Newcastle Upon Tyne City
Council.
Margo Boye-Anawoma - a
barrister specialising in children law. She is also a Deputy
District Judge of the Principal Registry of the Family Division in
London and a committee member of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable
Trust.
Erica De’Ath OBE - Chief
Executive, National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations
and previously Chief Executive of the National Stepfamily
Association. She is a Trustee of the National Children’s
Bureau, and has published widely on family and children’s
issues.
Mark Eldridge – Director of Legal Operations,
Greater London Magistrates’ Courts Authority and a barrister.
He was formerly Chair of the Association of Justices’ Chief
Executives before taking up his present post.
Baroness Howarth of Breckland OBE – Former Chief Executive of ChildLine she also worked
for many years at Chief Officer and Assistant Chief Officer level
in social services departments. She serves on the Board of the Food
Standards Agency, is Trustee of a number of Children’s charities
and a patron of the National Youth Advocacy Scheme. She was
vice-chair of the National Care Standards Commission and is
secretary to the All Parliamentary Children’s Group.
Harry Marsh - A member
of the General Social Care Council and a freelance
consultant. He was Chief Executive of Contact a Family, and
he was previously an Assistant Director of Family Service
Units. He is a Trustee and Vice Chair of the National
Children’s Bureau.
Richard Sax - a family law solicitor and
partner at Manches. He is a Deputy District Judge of the
Principal Registry of the Family Division. He is a founder
member and former Chair of the Solicitors Family Law Association,
and has been a member of its Children Committee since its
inception.
Judith Timms OBE - An
independent consultant and former Chief Executive of the National
Youth Advocacy Service. She is an Hon research fellow in the
Faculty of Law at the University of Liverpool and a Vice President
of the Family Mediators Association. An experienced Guardian
ad Litem, her publications include “Manual of Practice Guidance for
Guardians ad Litem and Reporting Officers”.
Professor Jane Tunstill
- Professor of Social Work and Head of
Department, Department of Health and Social Care, Royal Holloway,
University of London. She has worked in the voluntary and
statutory child care sectors, and has undertaken a wide range
of commissioned research studies on services for children and
families.