Every child matters : ninth report of session 2004-05. Volume 1, Report together with formal minutes.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Education and Skills Committee
Date:
2005
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Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Every child matters : ninth report of session 2004-05. Volume 1, Report together with formal minutes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    argued that this amounts to an ‘educational takeover’ of the new integrated children’s services. 172. The skills profile has also raised some concerns about whether the Directors of Children’s Services are likely to have the requisite level of professional knowledge: if experienced directors of social services are, in the main, not being appointed to DCS roles, it has to be a concern that expertise on crucial issues such as child protection may not be immediately apparent at directorial level. The Commission for Social Care Inspection commented: “Tt is essential that the range of skills which the new Directors of Children’s Service possess, draw together the experiences of both Directors of Education and Directors of Social Services. It is essential that there is no loss of expertise and knowledge of children’s social care. The Commission will be working closely with local councils to ensure that social care services for children are not seen as an add on to some reorganised education department, and that health services, the police and the youth justice system are kept as inclusive components of the development of children’s services. Children’s Services Directorates are not simply education departments by another name.”!”® 173. The DfES, in response, told us that they would not be seeking to direct local areas in the kinds of appointments they made, as that would be inappropriate. They also told us that, in their view, what was important was the general managerial and strategic competency possessed by appointees to the DCS roles. While we understand that the DfES cannot interfere in the appointment process we do feel on balance that this is an area that could benefit from closer monitoring, as the appointments process gathers pace. Responsibility without power? 174. Children’s Services Authorities will be judged, through inspection, on the effectiveness of services as a whole in their area. Directors of Children’s Services, as figureheads, will therefore bear a large degree of responsibility and accountability for outcomes for children in their area. The Association of Directors of Education and Children’s Services and partners pointed to an interesting and potentially problematic anomaly in relation to the discharge of the DCS’ duty. While, managerially, he or she will be responsible for the Local Authority only, the scope of the role in reality goes much further. This, they contend, is likely to raise a number of operational problems: “There is no indication of what powers if any the DCS has if partners do not fulfil their various statutory responsibilities in a satisfactory way, thus undermining the partnership arrangements. This section should make more explicit reference to how the DCS can hold partners to account and where necessary alert the relevant internal authority or inspectorate.”!” 175. Speaking on behalf of the LGA, Cllr. James Kempton told us: 129 Response to Consultation on Draft Statutory Guidance on the Role and Responsibilities of the Director of Children’s Services and Lead Member for Children’s Services, ADECS et.al, 2005.