Kathy Evans
Policy Director
Kathy Evans, 36, heads up the policy and parliamentary team in one of the UK’s leading social justice, campaigning charities – The Children's Society. She oversees a team of specialists lobbying government on key issues affecting children and young people living at the edges of society including young refugees, young offenders, disabled children and young runaways.
Before her promotion to Policy Director in 2004, Kathy held several policy roles within The Children’s Society developing policy work on youth justice, runaways, and substance misuse.
From 1996-2001 she worked at DrugScope and co-authored a range of publications, including government-approved guidance, on drug policy, research and treatment for young people. Kathy’s dedication to improving life for children has spanned her entire career from her starting point as a social worker and counsellor for various children’s agencies and local authorities including a management role in a secure children’s home in London.
From 1998 to 2002, Kathy chaired the Standing Committee for Youth Justice - a consortium of organisations promoting the welfare of children involved in the youth justice system. She has also been a member of the Penal Affairs Consortium and the Home Office Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs’ working group to establish support for children affected by parental substance misuse. At the end of 2006, Kathy was appointed to the DfES Care Matters advisory group on the Future of the Care Population.
Although her working life has largely been in London, Kathy hails from Swansea, South Wales. She holds a degree in social and political sciences from Trinity College, Cambridge University. She presently lives in Brixton, South London, and outside of work enjoys calligraphy, dress making and performing stand up comedy.
Areas of expertise:
- Youth Justice
- Alcohol and drug misuse
- Children's Rights and Participation
- Every Child Matters agenda
- The Government's Children's Plan