Dame Lesley Max DNZM MBE (née Shieff; born 20 September 1945) is a New Zealand children's advocate.

[3][4][2] She advocated strongly for the formation of a national programme for the prevention of child abuse, which led to the establishment of Family Start.

[4] She has also chaired the Parenting Council, was a government appointee on the Northern Regional Health Authority and the Family Violence Advisory Committee, and was a founding member of the Brainwave Trust.

[1] In the 1994 New Year Honours, Max was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to children.

[5] She was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, also for services to children, in the 2010 New Year Honours.