Hilton has been Chief Executive of BASW since 2009. He is proud to be leading what he describes as the ‘best organisation in the best work in the world’ at a time of critical change in social work.

Born in Northumberland, Hilton has combined social work and politics over more than 30 years. He has been a local authority social worker and manager, a Member of Parliament and Councillor, Chief Executive of a children’s charity, a consultant in the private sector and a community worker.

Hilton was a pioneer of alternatives to care and custody and the participation and empowerment of young people in Care. In Parliament he was an active member of Standing Committees including the Care Standards Act, Children Act 2004 and recognised as Parliamentary Children’s Champion in 2004 particularly for his work on bringing children and young people into Parliament.

Hilton is committed to internationalism, he has lived and worked in Israel, visited and supported work in Angola and Sudan and is looking forward to engaging with social workers in the far east of Russia when he visits in June