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| Anne Longfield | |
|---|---|
| Name | Anne Longfield |
| Birth date | 1960s |
| Birth place | England |
| Occupation | Children's commissioner, charity executive |
| Known for | Children's rights advocacy |
Anne Longfield
Anne Longfield is a British children's rights advocate and former Children's Commissioner for England. She has served in senior roles across charities, public bodies and policy organisations, focusing on children's welfare, safeguarding and family support. Her work intersected with institutions such as the Department for Education, the NHS, and national inquiries into child protection.
Longfield grew up in England and pursued higher education that led her into public policy and social work contexts. Her formative years connected her to networks around King's College London, University College London, and professional training pathways linked to the British Association of Social Workers. Early influences included public figures and institutions such as Barnardo's, Save the Children, and local authority children’s services in metropolitan areas like Greater London and Manchester.
Longfield's early career included roles in frontline and strategic settings associated with organisations like Coram, Action for Children, and local councils including London Borough of Lambeth. She moved between voluntary sector leadership and advisory posts to national bodies such as the Department for Education and arms-length bodies connected to the Children’s Workforce Development Council. Her network encompassed leaders from Ofsted, the Children's Commissioner for Wales, and child protection professionals tied to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and safeguarding reviews in authorities including Rotherham and Rochdale.
Appointed in 2015 to the statutory office established under the Children Act 2004, Longfield served as Children's Commissioner for England until 2021. In that capacity she engaged with ministers in the Cabinet Office, briefed Select Committees at the House of Commons, and worked alongside commissioners in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Her tenure saw reports and campaigns involving cross-sector partners such as Ofsted, the NSPCC, the Local Government Association, and the Family Rights Group. Major initiatives linked her office to national programmes run by Public Health England, mental health services in the NHS, and statutory guidance produced by the Department for Education.
Longfield advocated for reforms in areas including online safety, child mental health, and family support. She campaigned on issues overlapping with legislation like the Online Safety Bill, and worked with advocacy organisations including Children England and the Children's Commissioner for Wales. Her policy positions referenced research from institutions such as the Institute for Public Policy Research, the Social Mobility Commission, and academics affiliated with London School of Economics and University of Oxford. She promoted interventions aligned with programmes by Family Lives, the Education Endowment Foundation, and pilots involving local authorities such as Birmingham City Council and Camden Council.
Longfield's tenure attracted debate from ranged stakeholders including charities like the Barnardo's and unions such as the National Education Union. Critics in parliamentary forums including the House of Commons Education Select Committee raised questions about her office’s handling of high-profile safeguarding referrals and the transparency of certain investigations. Media commentary referencing outlets like The Guardian, The Times, and Daily Mail debated her positions on welfare conditionality and relationships with ministers in the Department for Education. Reviews and audits connected to her office prompted responses from watchdogs and legal practitioners involved with the Information Commissioner's Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
After leaving the statutory post in 2021, Longfield took on roles advising charities, think tanks and commercial entities engaged in child-focused services. She has collaborated with organisations such as Coram Voice, the Child Poverty Action Group, and private-sector partners involved in digital safeguarding technology. Her subsequent work has involved participation in panels convened by bodies like the Royal Society and consultancy for projects linked to local authorities including Brighton and Hove and Leicester City Council.
Category:Living people Category:Children's rights activists (United Kingdom)