Mary Crowley was appointed Stakeholder Adviser to the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners when the Academy was launched in November 2007. Prior to this, Mary was Chief Executive of Parenting UK which led the development of the National Occupational Standards for Work with Parents. The Standards were approved for the UK by the QCA Approvals Board in April 2005.
Previously, Mary was Head of the Adult Education Service of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. In 2000 she received the MBE for services to parenting education and family learning. She was a Board member of Lifelong Learning UK, the Sector Skills Council for learning professionals. She is currently a member of the Council of City and Guilds and the Federation Internationale pour l’Education des Parents.
She created the European Socrates “Dialogue” parenting education project with partners in six EU countries and directed Parenting in Europe in the 21st Century, an EU funded Leonardo da Vinci workforce project comprising a transnational network of organisations working with parents across Europe who are brought together to share expertise and consider the needs of the sector.
In 2008 Mary was awarded the OBE for services to families and children.