Christine Osborne

Chris was until recently a Policy Adviser at The Children’s Society with the lead role developing The Children’s Society’s programme of work with disabled children and young people. Early in her career Chris set up PACT, one of the first family based short term care services for disabled children and went on to manage a wide range of children’s services in The Yorkshire and Humberside Region.

Chris has always championed the rights of disabled children and young people, including co-ordinating the award winning Ask Us Initiative. She has co- authored practice guidance for DCSF on safeguarding disabled children and contributed to statutory guidance for Independent Reviewing Officers on working with children with additional communication needs. Chris was until recently chair of The Council for Disabled Children.

She is currently a member of both The Communication Trust and The Standing Commission on Carers and now works as an independent consultant.