Jahnine Davis
Biography
Jahnine is the National Kinship Care Ambassador and a member of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. First appointed to the panel in November 2021 and reappointed in November 2025 for a further 3 years. She brings 28 years of experience across charities, statutory services, and academia. Jahnine holds a Master’s in Women and Child Abuse and a PhD focused on safeguarding Black children when harm occurs in and outside the home.
Known for her research and leadership on adultification bias, she has shaped national policy and guidance influencing practice across children’s services. Jahnine is Director of Listen Up, an organisation dedicated to Black and marginalised children. She was awarded the Children and Young People’s Champion title in 2025 for her commitment to safeguarding and advancing children’s rights. This is further reflected in the Davis Scholarship at Durham University named in her honour, to support care-experienced students into higher education.
National Kinship Care Ambassador
The National Kinship Care Ambassador advocates for children living in kinship care and their families across government. She also works alongside local authorities to help them improve their kinship practice and local policies, and ensure they are following national guidance.
As part of her role, the Ambassador:
- acts as a critical friend to local authorities, offering advice, support and challenge by sharing best practice and empowering local authorities to improve priority practice areas
- brings children’s voices and the experiences of under-represented groups to the fore to ensure local offers fully consider and address their needs
- brings the voice of kinship care into government policymaking by working directly with ministers and across the department and government to ensure there remains a continued and committed approach to kinship care