Dr Sue Owen is currently Director of the Well-being Department at the National Children's Bureau (NCB) in London and before that was Director of NCB’s Early Childhood Unit. Previously she was Deputy Director of the Early Years National Training Organisation and lead officer for early years at Humberside County Council. She has also worked as Information Officer for the National Childminding Association, as Playgroup Adviser for Manchester City Council, Childminding Adviser for the Save the Children Fund and as a freelance researcher. Sue’s most recent publication is Authentic relationships in group care for infants and toddlers (Jessica Kingsley 2006) with Steph Petrie, and her doctorate was on the development of organised systems of childminding. Sue is also currently Early Years Theme Lead for the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children’s and Young People’s Services (C4EO).