Ann Haigh (1943 – 2022)

Ann Haigh, well known advocate of children’s rights, died peacefully at home on 16th October 2022. She had a long career in social work and was universally respected.  Ann was born and grew up in East London. She began her working life at the Bank of England but, after the birth of her two sons, she re-trained at the North East London Polytechnic, obtaining her degree in social work. After a brief period of work in the Barking and Dagenham Probation Service, she went on to work for Essex Council as a local authority social worker.

Ann joined Barnardo’s Homefinding Team in June 1981. She was then seconded to the Tavistock between 1987-1988 to undertake an Advanced Programme for Social Workers. Ann became the Service Manager of Counselling Services, the Barnardo’s Post Adoption Service, in September 1989.   During Ann’s time as Manager, she led many changes to the Service which included the introduction of work with birth-relative initiated contact in 1993. As a result of her knowledge and experience she was invited to speak at a conference in Bulgaria about the Role of the Guardian ad Litem in 1998. Ann left Barnardo’s in 2007 after restructuring and became an Independent Children’s Guardian.

Ann was Chair of NAGALRO from 2007 until 2017 and, thereafter, continued to represent the organisation as one of the co-chairs of the Interdisciplinary Alliance for Children, jointly with solicitor, Maud Davis.  She was also a very longstanding member of the British Association of Social Workers’ multi-disciplinary and multi-agency group PROGAR, which focuses on the lifespan implications for people born through donor conception and surrogacy.  There she brought her considerable knowledge, experience and strong values to contribute to discussion and policy around new family forms, always with the child at the centre.

Ann’s contribution to children in the family justice system has been significant. Her work includes having chaired and written a report for a Home Office Domestic Homicide Review and serving as a member of the court rules committee working to prepare for the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. She has also given evidence to several parliamentary committees, including the House of Commons Justice Committee during the pre-legislative scrutiny of, what was to become, the Children and Families Act 2014.  Ann also contributed significantly  to discussions at the Department of Health that led to the introduction of the Welfare Checklist into Parental Order Regulations in 2010 and hence into the work of Parental Order Reporters in surrogacy cases.   More recently she contributed to PROGAR’s submission to the Law Commissions’ consultation on surrogacy law reform which is due to report before the end of the year.

As the Chair of Nagalro, Ann was able to argue passionately for the importance and independence of the role of the Children’s Guardian. She fought tirelessly to preserve these important principles and was gently firm and steadfast in ensuring that the voice of the child was clearly heard when key decisions were being made about their lives. It is a testament to the respect in which she was held that even those with whom she crossed swords professionally continued to speak admiringly of her and for her unflinching commitment to the welfare of the child.

Indefatigable, Ann not only had a successful and demanding full-time professional career, she also served for 14 years as a District Councillor for Epping Forest Council and four years as a member of Essex County Council. On three occasions she stood (unsuccessfully) for parliament, representing the Liberal Democrats in the 2005 general election for East Ham; in 2010 as the candidate for Epping Forest and in 2019 as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Barking.

Ann was also very much a family person and it is fitting that her sons chose a family photo  of her surrounded by her family to accompany this testament to her; her younger grandchild, Thandie, was born after this photo was taken.