Child care expert confident improvements can be made

Wednesday 3rd October 2007, 12:00AM BST.

A UNIVERSITY professor with more than 40 years of experience in the fields of child protection, foster care and adoption has agreed to take over chairing the Jersey Child Protection Committee.

Professor June Thoburn, of East Anglia University, will replace Iris Le Feuvre, who was sacked by former Health Minister Stuart Syvret. Mrs Le Feuvre lost her job after crossing swords with the Senator over the alleged failings of senior managers in the children’s services. She defended those professionals in the face of harsh criticism from the Senator. Mrs Thoburn agreed to chair the committee after being offered the job by Senator Syvret. However, she said that she wanted to come to Jersey and meet those involved in the children’s services before agreeing to take on the role. She was in the Island to do that on Monday and yesterday.

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