Emeritus Professor Liz Davies recognised for decades of whistleblowing and advocacy for survivors of abuse in Islington care homes
Date: 15 January 2026
Dr Liz Davies, emeritus professor of social work at London Metropolitan University and long-standing campaigner for child protection, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to child protection in the King’s New Year Honours List.
Her decades-long advocacy for survivors of abuse in Islington’s children’s homes has brought widespread attention to historic failures and advanced vital support for victims.
A registered social worker since 1972, Davies trained at the London School of Economics and has held roles in mental health, generic and children’s social work. She served as child protection manager in the London Borough of Harrow for 12 years, specialising in the investigation of organised crime against children and training professionals in investigative interviewing.
From 1986 to 1992, she worked as a social worker in Islington, where she raised concerns about organised child sexual exploitation. Her warnings were dismissed at the time, but she continued reporting abuse to national agencies and worked with investigative journalists to bring the issue into the public eye. Her efforts led to widespread media coverage and prompted 13 official inquiries.
An important contribution to London Met.
Davies joined London Met in 2002, where she was supported in completing her doctorate in 2010 and became Reader in Child Protection. She developed new modules, published books with colleagues, and trained police and social workers in child abuse investigations. She also took part in Erasmus-funded visits to Sweden and Brussels and trained police in Abu Dhabi alongside university colleagues.
Since 2014, she has coordinated the Islington Survivors Network (ISN), which she co-founded to advocate for people who experienced abuse in 42 council-run homes in Islington between the 1960s and 1990s. The network has heard from more than 800 survivors to date.
In partnership with law firm Leigh Day, ISN campaigned successfully for a support payment scheme for survivors, introduced by Islington Council in 2021 following a six-month consultation. From 2018, the council funded a specialist Trauma Service based at St Pancras Hospital and a Non-Recent Abuse Team which provided practical support. Due to council cuts, the funding for both services ends this year.
Kelly Cooper, Dean of London Met's School of Social Sciences and Social Professions, paid tribute to Professor Davies': "Liz Davies’ courage and persistence have set a benchmark for integrity in social work. Her determination to expose systemic failures and stand alongside survivors is nothing short of extraordinary.
"As Dean of Social Sciences and Professions, I see Liz’s work as a powerful reminder of why our values matter. This honour not only celebrates her achievements but underscores the need for policy frameworks that prioritise safeguarding, transparency, and survivor voices. Liz’s advocacy has influenced national conversations on safeguarding children and continues to challenge us to ensure that legislation and practice evolve to protect the most vulnerable. At London Met, we remain committed to embedding these principles in education and research, preparing graduates who will lead with courage and compassion in the fight for social justice."
In a statement to the Islington Gazette, Dr Davies said: “If this award helps me be heard, then I will have accepted it for very good reason — because it is only when the perpetrators of crimes against children are brought to justice that children are effectively protected.
I would like to thank my London Met colleague Kelly Cooper (Dean of London Met’s School of Social Sciences and Professions), whose support enabled me to continue my work with survivors within a safe and supportive space at the university.”
Dr Davies continues to publish and advocate for survivors. She can be contacted through the Isliongton Survivors Website.
