As announced by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls, NCSL is beginning work on a development programme for those at the forefront of children’s services that will start this autumn.
The new leadership programme will be aimed at directors of children’s services (DCSs) and those aiming for promotion. We will be leading the development in partnership with the Association of Directors of Children’s Services and the Children’s Workforce Development Council. This work will also be supported by an expert group of critical friends who will challenge and support our thinking. The following people have agreed to be in the group:
In the next few months, we will be talking with DCSs across the country, to ask them for their views on what the challenges of the role are and how we can best support their needs and the needs of their teams. This will be led by our chief executive, Steve Munby.
A pilot programme, involving 24 directors of children’s services, is scheduled to start later this year.
Plans for a new programme to support and strengthen the leadership skills, knowledge and capabilities of DCSs were included in the 2020 Children and Young People’s Workforce Strategy, published in December 2008. The strategy sets out a change programme for more than two million people who work with children and young people, including children’s social workers, teachers, youth support sector workers and childcare workers.