Sir Alan Thorpe Richard Wood CBE (born 4 April 1954) is a British public servant who served from 2006 to 2015 as the corporate director for Children and Young People's Services in the London Borough of Hackney.
[2][3] Wood then transferred to Hackney as their overall corporate director for Children and Young People's Services in 2006, whilst continuing at The Learning Trust.
[4] Whilst at Hackney, Wood was appointed a Commander of the Order of British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours for 2011 "for services to education and local government".
The booing was initiated by Harry Ferguson, professor of Social Work at the University of Nottingham.
[14] Ferguson stated that Wood's remark was "appalling", arguing that Social Work needs an alternative narrative to the constant negativity that surrounds the profession.