Trustee Board

Helen Mary Jones

Chair

Helen has shown her dedication towards improving the lives of children in Wales throughout her career. From 1982-86, she taught pupils with additional learning needs, and later took on roles in youth and community work. In 1999, she entered the Welsh Assembly, and between 2007-2011, Helen chaired the Children and Young People’s Committee. She led scrutiny of the process leading to the Rights of Children and Young Persons Measure 2011. Between 2011-2017, Helen was Chief Executive of Youth Cymru, and successfully lobbied the Welsh Government to restore core funding to national youth work voluntary organisations. She presented on the rights of children and young people in Wales at Houston and Austin universities in 2014, and Harvard in 2016. Between 2011 and 2013, Helen was appointed to a Welsh Government Ministerial Intervention Board tasked with challenging safeguarding delivery, and she was later appointed to a working group reviewing the inspection of early childhood care and education. Helen was a Board member of the Wales Observatory on the Human Rights of Children and Young People (2012-2017). Between 2018 – 2021, Helen was a Member of the Senedd, and Co-Chair of the Cross Party Groups on Children, and Looked After Children and Young People

Jackie Murphy

Vice Chair

Jackie Murphy is a qualified social worker with a Masters in Business Administration.

She has worked as the CEO of Tros Gynnal, now TGP Cymru, since 2013. Jackie is Chair of CAFCASS Cymru Advisory Committee and has previously been a Member of WG National Advocacy Task and Finish Group, Chair of Children’s Rights Officers and Advocates (CROA) and a Non-Executive Member of Rhondda Cynon Taf Local Health Board.

Huw Perry

Treasurer

Sarah Crawley

Sarah is the Director of Barnardo’s Cymru. Educated at Loughborough University and Coventry University. She has an extensive background in adults and children’s social care, early intervention services for families and young people, community regeneration, housing and offender rehabilitation, holding senior posts across multiple local authorities in England and Wales. She has a keen interest in improving services for all children, young people and families in Wales via multi-agency partnerships.

Deborah Jones

Deborah is the CEO of Voices from Care Cymru (VFCC) and has extensive experience in holding trustee positions within the third sector.

As well as her trusteeship for Children in Wales, Deborah is also trustee at 5 Nations One Voice (chairperson) and acts as the Secretariat for the Welsh Government All Party Group on Children & Young People. Deborah studied for an MBA and a Diploma in Counselling and has a long history working within the field of the care experienced community.

Deborah legally represented VFCC at the “North Wales Enquiry” and led in influencing real change in upholding the rights (UNCRC) of the care community in Wales.

Jenny Williams

Since 2014 Jenny has been the Strategic Director of Social Care and Education Services for Conwy County Borough Council, having previously worked as Head of Children’s Services and then Director for Social Services. A qualified Social Worker, Jenny began her career undertaking a variety of roles predominantly specialising in Adoption and Looked after Children.

In a national context, Jenny has chaired the national ADSSC Safeguarding Policy Group, sat on the Strategic Coordinating Group for Operation Pallial, was President of the Association of Directors of Social Services 2018/19 and is the current chair of the North Wales Safeguarding Children’s Board.

Liam Maguire

Graduating with a degree in Law from Swansea, Liam commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and became an Infantry Captain in the Royal Welsh Regiment. After leading his Platoon in Afghanistan, he left to manage children's homes for approximately 6 years including Hillside, which is the only secure centre for children in Wales.
Since then Liam has been the Head of Operations and a Change Management Consultant for the charity Home Start Cymru, helping support families across Wales give their children the best start in life. At present Liam is working as a Leadership Management Trainer with a Housing Association called Valleys to Coast which helps to provide quality homes to families and children. Liam is also a trustee at Home Start Cymru and Spectacle Theatre.
Liam is committed to having as wide of a positive impact over as many children as possible and believes that nothing will benefit society more than helping them to achieve their fullest potential.
His interests include psychology, children's rights, safeguarding, education, development, and any relevant legislation and regulations. He is also very passionate about leadership management, culture, strategy, public service, the third sector and politics in general.

Professor Euan Hails

Professor Euan Hails is the Director of Clinical and Therapeutic Governance at Adferiad, Consultant Nurse CAMHS and DECLO at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Visiting Professor University of South Wales and Associate Professor Medical School, Swansea University.

He has spent a career helping those in need, and played a leading role in the development of Early Intervention Psychosis services and services to children and young people’s mental health in Wales for which he was awarded an MBE.

Professor Hails was involved with Hafal as a Trustee and Vice Chair before becoming a Director of Adferiad Recovery where he has helped develop governance, shape and identify clinical, therapeutic and psychological services, supported the CEO and represented Adferiad at Government, local, and National think tanks and events. He has trained Adferiad members, staff and NHS workers across Wales and UK in evidence based psychological therapy and psychosocial interventions.

Euan is a Florence Nightingale Scholar, sits on the Children in Wales Policy Committee, Fellow and Chair of National Council of Integrative Psychotherapists, Fellow of Bevan Commission and Counselling in Prisons Network. He was runner up in Nursing Times Mental Health Nurse of the Year 2020. He is an accredited psychotherapist and supervisor.

Katie Simmons

Katie Simmons is a Youth Social Action Participation Practitioner at Ty Hafan Children`s Hospice, Sully. Ty Hafan support a variety of young people from a referred child who attends the hospice, a sibling to a referred child or a bereaved sibling. The ages of the children vary from birth - 19 years old. Katie’s role is all geared at listening to young people`s voices and helping them to act upon matters that they feel passionate about. Providing them with a safe space to talk about important issues, hold debates, set up awareness events and getting involved with the local community.

Katie says: ‘I love supporting children to make them feel empowered and listened to. Making them aware of their rights and helping them tackle issues is so powerful. As a mum, a fluent Welsh Speaker and an experienced Primary School Teacher for over 20 years, I sincerely hope that I can bring my knowledge and passion to the board of Trustees at Children in Wales.’

Helal Uddin

Helal feels fortunate to have experience in different sectors. He has experience working in industries such as catering/ vehicle mechanic/ security/ grocery & butcherer shop/ call centre/ door to door sales etc/ Youth Justice/ DWP and so on.

He says: ‘I am humbled and privileged to be part of a team that started EYST Wales in 2005, and now a co-director at the organisation.

My love and passion is to make a better Wales and world. I enjoy all types of challenges and the benefit it brings. I feel blessed to be in this position and able to serve the Black Asian Minority Ethnic communities and the people of Wales, and playing my part to make it a better society for all, I just love working towards a better Wales. I love the differences we have in diversity/ Knowledge/ Experience/ Tradition/ culture/ food/ language/ dress code and so on that compliments each other and the society.

Firm believer of that A Human has no superiority over other humans except by piety, good deeds, kindness, all forms of charity one is capable of doing or giving, standing up to what is right, fighting injustice, inequality and poverty.’

Yasmin Husain

I am an education solicitor and an educator, I have a background in human rights law but took a career break to raise my three children. In that time I became a supervisor for legal advice clinics in the community. I also studied part time for a diploma in Montessori early years education, which included some work in schools working with children who had SEN.  When my children started school full time I returned to legal practice a year ago and have been training in education law. I am passionate about children's rights, child led education, equality and diversity to ensure all children and young people are represented fairly and without discrimination. I am an ambassador for Ethnic Minorities Youth Support Team in Cardiff on their school exclusions project.

Kyle Jamie Eldridge

My name is Kyle Jamie Eldridge and I currently live in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. I am 27 years of age currently and have an Autism Spectrum Disorder of which I have had for the past 13 years to date.

I am passionate about bringing my leadership and advocacy experience to the Trustee Board of Children in Wales. With a strong background in governance, particularly within education and disability rights, I am well-equipped to make a meaningful impact on the board's oversight and strategic direction. I have a proven track record of leading initiatives aimed at improving services for neurodiverse communities. This is highlighted by my successful role as Chairperson of the Gwent Autism Steering Group, where I worked closely with the Welsh Government as well as other service providers to enhance services for autistic individuals within the Gwent Region.

My previous governance experience, including serving as a Student Governor and Trustee at the University of South Wales and its Students Union, has allowed me to contribute to strategic decision-making and champion accessibility for marginalised communities. I firmly believe in inclusive leadership and strive to ensure that all voices are heard and considered in policy and service delivery decisions.

Nirushan Sudarsan