Richard Bartholomew is the Chief Research Officer for the Department for Children, Schools and Families and responsible for representing its wider research interests.

Richard has led on providing and commissioning analysis and research for the Every Child Matters programme, ensuring there is a coherent approach to the collection, analysis and use of data and research evidence. This has included research and evaluation on early years, parenting, vulnerable children and young people. He is also a member of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's advisory committee on poverty and disadvantage and was, until recently, a member of the Economic and Social Research Council's Training and Development Board. He has worked as a researcher for the former Manpower Services Commission and the Department of Employment.

Richard is an advisor to the Local Wellbeing Project.