Tickell to leave Action for Children

In a statement released this morning, Action for Children confirmed that Tickell is to leave the charity at the end of the year to take over as chief executive of Hanover Housing Association.

John O’Brien, chair of trustees at Action for Children, said: “I’d like to pay tribute to Dame Clare Tickell, who has led Action for Children through some of the biggest changes and challenges in its history.
 
“Clare has grown the charity: we now support more than 250,000 children, young people, parents and carers through more than 650 projects. She has also ensured that we are a leading voice on behalf of children and young people around the UK and has been a driving force for our campaigning work.
 
“Thanks to Clare’s dedication, Action for Children has thrived over the past nine years. We will miss her enormously, but I know that we will continue to go from strength to strength in future.”

Tickell is to succeed Bruce Moore at Hanover, who is to step down next month. Prior to joining Action for Children in 2004, she had spent 18 years working in the housing sector as deputy director of Centrepoint and chief executive of Stonham Housing Association.

One of the first acts of the coalition government was to appoint Tickell to head up a review of the early years foundation stage (EYFS). Her subsequent report called for the EYFS to be streamlined to give childcare practitioners more time to spend with children.