BAAF chief David Holmes to lead Family Action

David Holmes will replace outgoing Family Action chief executive Helen Dent, who is retiring after sixteen years in the role.

As well as pioneering home-based family support work, Dent has been responsible for distributing more than £12m of welfare and education grants to 60,000 families and children during her time in the post.

In 2006 she oversaw the merger of Family Welfare Association and Family Services Unit, which created the charity in its current form.

Dent said Holmes will have plenty “to get his teeth into”, given the ongoing “challenging times for the third sector”.

“Family Action has a strategy for growth and we will continue to work locally for families who need our services as well as holding the government to account on child poverty, the troubled families programme and welfare reforms,” she said.

Holmes said it had been a privilege to lead BAAF and to “see the organisation go from strength to strength”.

“Family Action is a new and exciting challenge for me and one that I am looking forward to very much,” he said. “I am a huge admirer of Family Action’s fantastic services and look forward to continuing the charity’s long and proud history in the years ahead.

“I am confident that Family Action can grow and become an even more effective source of support to the families who need its services so much.”

Family Action chair of trustees Bryan Portman added: “Under Helen’s leadership Family Action has grown into a truly national organisation providing invaluable support and services to thousands of service users.

“She has campaigned vigorously on behalf of disadvantaged and socially isolated families at all levels of government. Her influence on Family Action will be felt long after her retirement and she will leave the organisation in a significantly better place from where she started.”

He said Holmes has a great track record from his time spent leading BAAF.  “He will be an asset to Family Action,” he said. “We look forward to welcoming him in the Spring.”

Before joining Family Action, Dent worked as director of policy and external affairs at Action for Children and in local government, including as assistant director in the social care department of Cambridgeshire County Council.

She was awarded a CBE for services to charity in 2010 and was also previously chair and trustee of the End Child Poverty Campaign.