Martin Houghton-Brown

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Biographical Information

"Martin is Chief Executive of Depaul UK, the nationwide charity for homeless young people, working to ensure that every homeless person has a place to call home and that no young person sleeps in an unsafe place. Martin's early career involved working with young people affected by substance misuse, mental and sexual health issues and he started out providing safe places for homeless young people. The Nightstop emergency accommodation service run by Depaul is in many respects a return to where Martin started his career some twenty years ago.

"To date Martin has, and continues to, work extensively with the Government on policy matters and has contributed towards statutory guidance on children who go missing, who are sexually exploited and was a founder member of the Prime Ministerial taskforce on Missing Persons that latterly led to the first every cross government strategy on Missing Children and Vulnerable Adults. He has been appointed as a member of the Office for the Children's Commissioners' Inquiry into "Child Sexual Exploitation in Gangs and Groups".

"Martin has been a regular contributor in the media as well as a conference speaker with a reputation for setting out with passion why vulnerable people deserve the very best support from public and voluntary services.

"Previously Martin was Chief Executive of Missing People, a charity that provides support for missing children and vulnerable adults and their families. Prior to that, he was Deputy Director at The Children's Society, where he authored the ground-breaking report 'Stepping Up', which generated the UK Government's Young Runaways Action Plan. He is a Director and Trustee of YMCA England, a School Governor and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts."