For over 150 years, we’ve been here for the children and young people who need us most – bringing love, care and hope into their lives and giving them a place where they feel they belong.
Find out about how we're organised by meeting our Chief Executive Officer (CEO), trustees, President, and Royal Patron.
Our CEO
Lynn Perry
Lynn’s focus is on ensuring a charity wide focus on the core mission of the charity to deliver better outcomes for more children.
Her career has been entirely focussed on work with children and young people and in her last substantive post as Corporate Director for Children’s Services on Barnardo’s Executive Leadership Team she had responsibility for Children’s Services across the 4-nations of the UK, overseeing the development and delivery of 760 services. This large and diverse portfolio of health and social care services is also focussed on partnership work, influencing policy and system change and responding to new and emergent vulnerabilities.
Before joining Barnardo’s Lynn worked for The Children’s Society and has worked in both Education Services and Youth Justice in Local Authorities and the Third Sector. Lynn was awarded an MBE for Services to Youth Justice in 2008.
Our Trustees
Our Board of Trustees is comprised of volunteers who give their time and expertise, and are responsible for our governance and strategic direction as a charity.
The Board agrees our vision and values, sets the strategy and policies for our key activities, and monitors our progress. Our Trustees are also responsible for appointing our chief executive and for our overall professional, legal and financial management.
Our Trustees serve a three-year term and are eligible for re-appointment election for a maximum of two further three-year terms.
Our President and Royal Patron
Our Presidents, Royal Patrons and Ambassadors have helped us raise hundreds of thousands of pounds through their work, which ranges from hosting events to donating gifts.
Our President, Natasha Kaplinsky OBE
Natasha Kaplinsky OBE has been Barnardo's President since July 2019.
The newsreader, presenter and journalist is passionate about supporting children, young people and families and helps us to raise awareness of issues including mental health and wellbeing, child sexual exploitation and children in and leaving care.
Our Royal Patron, Her Majesty Queen Camilla
Her Majesty Queen Camilla was Barnardo’s President from October 2007 until December 2016, when she became our Royal Patron.
She has been very supportive of the charity, visiting a range of services and hosting a Buckingham Palace Garden Party to mark our 150th anniversary in 2016.
Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II was our Royal Patron for over 30 years, from 1983 to 2016.
She helped us to raise awareness of the needs of children and young people in the UK and funds to support them through our services.
Find out more
Who we are
When life gets tough or it feels like there’s nowhere to turn, Barnardo’s is here. We make sure children and young people feel safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful, by running 760 specialist services across the UK, and campaigning to change the way the system works for the better.
Our impact
Find out how we are changing the lives of children and young people across the UK. In 2023-24 we reached 356,200 people.
Our work
Need a helping hand? We’ve got you. We protect, support and nurture children across the UK. Get support as a parent, carer or young person, or find out more about adoption and fostering.