After an early career in outdoor education, David worked for a children’s charity supporting the development of the first National Childcare Strategy and then as an independent researcher and policy consultant focusing on early childhood education and care (ECEC) and children’s play.
In 2009 he was seconded to work within Welsh Government to coordinate the development of a cross-sector Children & Young People’s Workforce Strategy and in 2014 was appointed by to the Task & Finish Group reviewing ECEC regulation and inspection and co-authored the ‘Graham Report’ which was submitted to Ministers.
David completed his doctoral research at Bangor University examining why parents make choices between informal and formal childcare, and continues to publish and write about ECEC policy in Wales.
As part of the Bangor University WISERD civil society team examining change in places over time, David has a particular interest in examining the determinants of local volunteering activity and extended this work through the award of funding from UK charity 'Local Trust'.
David has worked on a number of projects with Wales Kidney Research Unit examining the social care context of kidney disease including transition issues for young people and media analysis related to the introduction of soft opt-out organ donation legislation in Wales.
David has most recently been awarded a Fellowship at the National Assembly for Wales. During 2019 he will be working with the Assembly Research Service to provide information about early childhood education and care (ECEC).
