Among those receiving awards was Paul Ennals, chief executive of the National Children's Bureau since 1998, who received the CBE for services to education. Mr Ennals served as a board member for seven years and was also a member of the Council for Disabled Children, based at NCB, for ten years. From 1997 to 2001 he was vice-chair of the Government's National Advisory Group on special educational needs. He now serves on the Ministerial SEN Implementation Group.
Mr Ennals chairs a multi-agency working group preparing guidance for those working with young disabled children. He is a member of the health department Children's Task Force, and co-chairs one of the expert working groups developing the National Service Framework for Children.
Jeannie Davidson of the Daycare Trust was awarded the MBE for services to childminding. As the Trust's childminding project officer she is involved with setting up childminding networks around nine new multifunctional Thresholds centres in south and east London.
Ms Davidson said, 'This is a great honour for the Daycare Trust and a heartening recognition of the critical importance of childminders in the lives of families. I am delighted that the hard work being done all over the country to develop childminding is recognised through this honour.' Maureen O'Hagen, president of the National Association of Early Years Professionals and a director of the Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education, was also awarded the MBE. Other MBErecipients were Ann Brady, chief executive of Highland pre-school services, for services to early years education; Bridget Gill, manager of Bonnie Babies Day Nursery in Hertford, for services to nursery education; Margaret Hewitt, first assistant at Linthaugh Nursery School in Glasgow, for services to early years education; Lorna MacLeod, headteacher, Haddington Infant School in East Lothian, for services to education; and Valerie Phillips, manager of the daycare centre and nursery at the University of Exeter, for services to higher education.
Recipients of the OBE included Ann Douglas, former headteacher at Balham Nursery School in Wandsworth, London, for services to special needs education; Jean Jenkinson for services to Birmingham EYDCP; and Jenny Thomas for services to the Child Bereavement Trust.
