EU Board
Marie-France Carlier
A family court judge in Belgium since 2003, and Juvenile Court judge since 2007, Marie-France Carlier is passionate about creating quicker, more effective responses by the judicial system to the issue of parental separation. Following her initiative to introduce and adapt more urgent, conciliatory family law practices from Cochem, Germany, this new “Consensus Model” was officially adopted in Belgium in 2012. Herself a mother of two, Marie-France is one of the founders of the Interdisciplinary Family-Youth Commission, meeting monthly to build bridges between family-related stakeholders, and has taken a lead role in a number of subsequent conferences, as well as training opportunities for judges and prosecutors, in Belgium and other countries with a view to expanding this proven, successful approach further.
Nick Child, BSc MB ChB MRCPsych Mphil
A child psychiatrist with the NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Scotland until 2003, Dr Nick Child grew up in India and has lived in Scotland for the past 50 years.
Over the past two decades, he has worked as a family therapist in Edinburgh’s voluntary sector team while campaigning initially for the extension of the scope of family therapy and, more recently, for a wider recognition of the nightmare faced by many separating families and their children as a result of the systems we currently have in place to deal with family breakdown.
Mary Gauci
Radio Malta producer/presenter and writer for Torca, one of Malta’s most-read newspapers, Mary Gauci has worked for the wellbeing of children and families for much of her career. Currently, president of Happy Parenting – Malta (For Happier Children), juvenile court expert on social care, and principal at the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, she was head of administration at the Ministry for Health; senior manager at the EU Affairs Directorate and EU Certifying Authority; Stagiaire at the European Commission in Brussels; and head of the Dar Emmaus shelter for the homeless. Mary has a distinction in social care from the University of Malta, a BA in Sociology and Philosophy, and MA in International Relations & Environment.
David Curl, MA (Oxon), PhD
Film-maker, scientist and writer, Dr David Curl’s career bridges art and science. An award-winning cinematographer, director and producer, he has created and worked on numerous international films, produced media for TV, radio, print and online, and worked in science and wildlife conservation. He has been a long-time contributor to policy development in a number of fields, and is currently CEO of Two Wishes’ partner organisation For Kids Sake, a registered Australian charity, and an active member of a Cafcass Advisory Board improving practices relating to family violence and separation.
Two Wishes International
We currently have representatives in eleven countries and five continents. In addition to working with Two Wishes in each country, many contribute to our international campaign and to issues that are universal: the importance, for instance, for all children of being able to maintain and develop positive relationships with all who love and care for them.
Our international executive comprises family court judges, child psychiatrists, life coaches, media and many other professionals in six countries, from the USA to Australia, from London to Shanghai.
Our work crosses many boundaries and covers many disciplines – from media and communications to social policy and family law. Eight separate Advisory Boards convene quarterly to give advice and make recommendations to our Executive and Board of Directors. These prominently include the views of Young People, First Nations peoples, social and community workers, and health and media professionals.