New chair of the Youth Justice Board

I see they have finally appointed a new chair to the Youth Justice Board. Frances Done is someone I have never heard of, so I am keeping an open mind.

She has absolutely no experience of working with children though, which is a little bizarre. Her background seems to be in accounts. As long as she does some serious shaking up, I will be content. It is essential that the YJB leads the debate with government and practitioners about improving the response to children caught up in the penal system.

It has been an interesting experience for me to watch the YJB over the last couple of years as I have been sitting on the board of another non-departmental public body, the School Food Trust. To see a really dynamic new body leading the huge national changes to school food
and to be part of the really complicated discussions has been instructive and exciting. I am really proud to have been part of this.

But it makes the contrast with the YJB even more stark. And depressing.