A family support charity has appointed Ali Stathers-Tracey as its chief executive.
Child Action North West is based in Blackburn and Bolton, Greater Manchester, and supports children, vulnerable adults and families facing inequality.
Stathers-Tracey will succeed Sue Cotton, who will retire at the end of March.
Cotton is retiring after a 40-year career in social work with almost 12 years as chief executive of CANW.
Stathers-Tracey takes up the role having worked as a director for Children and Services for almost 30 years.
She has spent most of her career working in Merseyside and Cheshire local authorities but has most recently been a change consultant for the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, focusing on the transformation of children’s services.
Stathers-Tracey has also worked on Home Office policy on domestic abuse and is a trustee of the charity MyCWA (formerly Cheshire Without Abuse).
“I am really excited to be joining CANW at a time when children, young people and vulnerable adults are facing the most difficult time in terms of meeting the cost of living, dealing with post-Covid household and family pressures and significant changes in local services due to Central Government spending cuts,” she said.
“It has never been more important that CANW has the right people who can respond to changing needs and meet the changing challenges in terms of future funding models.”
Cotton said the time was right for her to step down.
“It has been a really difficult decision for me and I have enjoyed every minute and think we are an amazing charity with incredibly talented staff, carers and supporters that make a huge difference to the lives of the children, families and adults we support,” she said.
Marguerite Webb, chair of CANW’s board of trustees, said Cotton had been an advocate for growth and development during her time at the charity.
“Sue’s leadership of CANW has made a lasting mark on the organisation. She has overseen a threefold increase in the number of staff and widened the scope of work carried out,” she said.
“She has laid strong foundations to support the growth of charity in the coming years.”