Dame Gillian Pugh

Left to right:
Neil Fox, host
Dame Gillian Pugh, winner
Brian Tytherleigh, Director of National Programmes, CWDC

Dame Gillian Pugh has had an incredibly inspiring and influential career working in the children’s services and charity sectors. Gillian retired in 2005 as Chief Executive of Coram Family, the leading children’s charity which aims to develop and promote best practice in the care and support of very vulnerable children and their families. She worked previously at the National Children’s Bureau where she was responsible for a broad range of work in the children’s field, especially services for young children and support for parents, and is still the Chair of NCB.

Over the past 30 years Gillian has advised governments in the UK and overseas on the development of policy for children and families and has published widely. She is currently working with the Local Government Association to support the implementation of the new children’s agenda through the Narrowing the Gap project.

Gillian is an advisor to the House of Commons Select Committee for Children, Schools and Families and to the Department for Children, Schools and Families. She is a member of the Children’s Workforce Development Council, and is on the Board of the Training and Development Agency for Schools, is a visiting Professor at the Institute of Education and chairs the advisory committee for the two year national review of primary education. Gillian was a founder member and chair of the Parenting Education & Support Forum (now Parenting UK) and a trustee of the National Family & Parenting Institute until 2006. She was awarded the DBE in 2005 for services to children and families.

Gillian has dedicated her life to improving the lives and outcomes for children and young people. She continues to be a driving force for change and her tireless work and unswerving devotion to the well-being of all children is an inspiration to all in the sector.