We have worked as RyanTunnardBrown on a wide range of projects since 2002. Our work has been with children’s services – social care, youth justice, education and health – in England and Wales, with central government departments, and with voluntary organisations. We are associates of the National Children’s Bureau and Research in Practice.
has a background in law. As a lawyer, Mary specialised in public law relating to children and families, combined with research, training and development work. She was the legal adviser for Family Rights Group from 1982 to 1992 (where she first worked with Jo), then chief executive of FRG from 1992 to 1996, and since then she has worked as an independent consultant.
has a background in teaching and the voluntary sector. Jo worked at Child Poverty Action Group from 1974 to 1979, first as welfare rights adviser and then as assistant director. She left to become the founding chief executive of Family Rights Group, where she stayed until 1992. Since then she has worked as an independent consultant.
We worked with Liz for 17 years. From 1972 to 1992 Liz was a social worker in social services departments in Devon, Bristol and Gloucestershire, and she was the child protection co-ordinator for Gloucestershire from 1992 to 2000. After that she worked with us as an independent consultant until her untimely death.
Liz was a beloved friend and work colleague. We continue to be inspired by her passionate commitment to supporting vulnerable children and families and to doing that in ways that were all about ‘working with’ rather than ‘doing to’ families. We have been comforted by the many expressions of high praise for her work. As an eminent academic told us: “I know what an important force for good Liz was in our field.”
Click here for our December 2018 Guardian obituary about Liz’s life and work.
“What has really struck me about working with RyanTunnardBrown is how respectful their approach is. Respectful of children and families, respectful of staff no matter what position they hold, and respectful of the changes organisations are trying to make and the work they are doing.” Director of Children’s Services
