Trustees
Stephen Burke
Stephen Burke became a trustee of Grandparents Plus in 2003. He is Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, a charity giving advice and information to older people, their relatives and carers across the UK. Previously he was Director of the Daycare Trust which campaigns for quality affordable childcare for all. He has over 20 years' experience in public relations, fundraising, journalism and management in national organisations. His work has been recognised in several major public relation awards. As a local councillor, non-executive director of a health trust and trustee of several charities, he has been involved in a wide range of community initiatives seeking to address disadvantage.
Stephen Burke became a trustee of Grandparents Plus in 2003. He is Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, a charity giving advice and information to older people, their relatives and carers across the UK. Previously he was Director of the Daycare Trust which campaigns for quality affordable childcare for all. He has over 20 years' experience in public relations, fundraising, journalism and management in national organisations. His work has been recognised in several major public relation awards. As a local councillor, non-executive director of a health trust and trustee of several charities, he has been involved in a wide range of community initiatives seeking to address disadvantage.
Dean Casswell
Dean Casswell became a trustee of Grandparents Plus in 2007 and is currently our treasurer. Dean is the former director of Finance and Fundraising of Contact a Family. He is now Chief Executive of Bag Books, a UK-wide charity providing tactile and multi-sensory stories to people with learning disabilities. He has an MBA and an MSc in Charity Accounting and Financial Management. He became a step-grandparent at the age of 34.
Dean Casswell became a trustee of Grandparents Plus in 2007 and is currently our treasurer. Dean is the former director of Finance and Fundraising of Contact a Family. He is now Chief Executive of Bag Books, a UK-wide charity providing tactile and multi-sensory stories to people with learning disabilities. He has an MBA and an MSc in Charity Accounting and Financial Management. He became a step-grandparent at the age of 34.
Geoff Dench
Geoff Dench, for many years honorary research adviser to Grandparents Plus, was appointed a trustee in 2007. He has a BA and MA in Archaeology and Anthropology from Cambridge and a PhD in Social Institutions from the LSE. He worked as research assistant at the Institute of Community Studies from 1962 to 1966 before returning to it as research associate in 1992 and research fellow in 1999. Meantime, he became Professor and Head of the School of Sociology and Social Policy at Middlesex Polytechnic and then Professor of Sociology at Middlesex University. He has a special interest in grandparenting and amongst his many publications are: Grandmothers of the revolution (ed.) Hera Trust, London, 2000; Grandmothers: the changing culture (ed.) Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, 2000; and Grandparenting in Britain (with Jim Ogg). Institute of Community Studies, London, 2002.
Geoff Dench, for many years honorary research adviser to Grandparents Plus, was appointed a trustee in 2007. He has a BA and MA in Archaeology and Anthropology from Cambridge and a PhD in Social Institutions from the LSE. He worked as research assistant at the Institute of Community Studies from 1962 to 1966 before returning to it as research associate in 1992 and research fellow in 1999. Meantime, he became Professor and Head of the School of Sociology and Social Policy at Middlesex Polytechnic and then Professor of Sociology at Middlesex University. He has a special interest in grandparenting and amongst his many publications are: Grandmothers of the revolution (ed.) Hera Trust, London, 2000; Grandmothers: the changing culture (ed.) Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, 2000; and Grandparenting in Britain (with Jim Ogg). Institute of Community Studies, London, 2002.
Patrick Grattan
Patrick Grattan set up the Equality and Diversity Forum in
2002. He also founded The Age and Employment Network (TAEN) in 1997 and was
Chief Executive for 10 years to 2007. Patrick built up TAEN as a leading centre
of expertise and policy body and as a network of organisations committed to
better opportunities to learn, work and earn. He was appointed MBE in 2001 for
this work. He was a member of advisory boards and groups for Government
departments, the Learning and Skills Council, Jobcentre Plus and a number of
voluntary organisations. He continues to work in a supporting role for TAEN.
Patrick has had a varied career in the Diplomatic Service and Civil Service and in the oil industry, working in the UK, the USA and France. He ran the operations of the Prince’s Youth Business Trust. He was a member of the Parole Board from 1997- 2003 and a former board member of Notting Hill Housing Trust. He is an active performing musician.
Maria Hamilton
Maria Hamilton is a co-founder and partner in the law firm, McMillen, Hamilton McCarthy. Maria specialises in family work, focusing predominantly on care and adoption. Maria is a member of the Law Society Children Panel. She sits on the panel of the Independent Review Mechanism, which prospective adopters can use when they have been told that their adoption agency does not propose to approve them as being suitable to adopt a child. Maria is a member of the Law Society Access to Justice Committee.
Maria Hamilton is a co-founder and partner in the law firm, McMillen, Hamilton McCarthy. Maria specialises in family work, focusing predominantly on care and adoption. Maria is a member of the Law Society Children Panel. She sits on the panel of the Independent Review Mechanism, which prospective adopters can use when they have been told that their adoption agency does not propose to approve them as being suitable to adopt a child. Maria is a member of the Law Society Access to Justice Committee.
Jean Stogdon
Jean Stogdon, Chair and co-founder, was for many years a social worker, social services manager and guardian ad litem. She has long been interested in the role of grandparents and until 1999 was Chair of the Grandparents Federation. A Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship enabled her to study the role of grandparents within kinship care in the USA and convinced her that in many situations grandparents and other kin should be the first and preferred choice for the care and protection of children when parents are unable to fulfil this role.
Jean Stogdon, Chair and co-founder, was for many years a social worker, social services manager and guardian ad litem. She has long been interested in the role of grandparents and until 1999 was Chair of the Grandparents Federation. A Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship enabled her to study the role of grandparents within kinship care in the USA and convinced her that in many situations grandparents and other kin should be the first and preferred choice for the care and protection of children when parents are unable to fulfil this role.
Judith Trowell
Judith Trowell became a trustee of Grandparents Plus in 2004. She is Professor of Child Mental Health and Director of the CAMHS Learning and Development Centre at University College, Worcester. She is also a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Tavistock Clinic, a research fellow with Dartington Social Policy Unit, an independent expert to child abuse enquiries and a medical legal expert. She has published a range of research and books on children and their families.
Judith Trowell became a trustee of Grandparents Plus in 2004. She is Professor of Child Mental Health and Director of the CAMHS Learning and Development Centre at University College, Worcester. She is also a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Tavistock Clinic, a research fellow with Dartington Social Policy Unit, an independent expert to child abuse enquiries and a medical legal expert. She has published a range of research and books on children and their families.
