Dwynwen Stepien leads on parenting and family support, early years and extended services at London Borough of Croydon. She is also works on the innovative Total Place project for Croydon’s Children Trust which brings together partners and funding in localities in order to co-design and co-produce services with parents.

Dwynwen was Director of the Early Childhood Unit at the National Children's Bureau for the previous two years. She has been working with children and young people since 1980 as a youth worker and then training as a teacher in 1991. She has worked in the field of early years childcare and education since 1993 when she became a University researcher in early years, family literacy and homelessness.

Previously Dwynwen has worked with Togetherforchildren and was lead officer for two local authorities. As head of early years services in two local authorities, Dwynwen was responsible for the development of Sure Start Children’s Centres as well as the creation and sustainability of early education and childcare provision, the Children’s Information Service, and the support and training for early education and childcare providers across all sectors. She has also worked in policy, planning and research within other voluntary organisations and local authorities.

As part of her work for the Early Childhood Unit Dwynwen delivered strategic work on behalf of the DCSF and the National Quality Improvement Network. She developed and delivered an innovative professional development programme for leads in early years and integrated services ‘Policy, Evidence and Practice’.

Dwynwen has taken on the early years lead role within the Commissioning Support Programme. Working with DCSF and local authority, CSP and Government Office will be rolling out workshops to regions and local authorities as well as developing on-line resources.