Damehood for disability campaigner Philippa Russell

Disability campaigner Philippa Russell and National Children’s Bureau chief executive Paul Ennals have topped this year’s Queen’s birthday honours in the social care sector.

Russell, who was last week re-appointed as chair of government carers watchdog the Standing Commission on Carers, was made a dame for services to disabled children, young people and carers.

She has campaigned on behalf of disabled people since her son, who has learning disabilities, was born in the 1960s.

Paul Ennals

Ennals, who was knighted for services to children and young people, became chief executive of NCB in 1998, and has since held a number of key roles across the children’s sector.

He is currently chair of the Children’s Workforce Network, which brings together major agencies in the sector to support workforce improvements, and spearheads NCB’s role as a partner agency in the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services, the sector’s best practice body.

Paul Snell and Anne Williams

There were also CBEs – the next highest mainstream honour – for former chief inspector of the Commission for Social Care Inspection Paul Snell, and the Department of Health’s national director for learning disabilities, Anne Williams.

Both are former social services directors and were honoured for their services to local government.

There was also a CBE for Northern Ireland’s most senior social care official, chief social services officer John Martin, who was recognised for public and voluntary service.

OBEs

OBEs were awarded to Brent Council’s director of housing and community care, Martin Cheesman, and Ann Macfarlane, a leading disability rights activist and consultant and member of the Social Care Institute for Excellence board.

There was also an OBE for Rhoda Emlyn-Jones, principal officer for substance misuse services for Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, for a 30-year career supporting people with drug and alcohol problems and other vulnerable people.

And Andrea Collingridge, a Leicestershire Council maternity social worker, was awarded an MBE for services to local government.

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