In their recent Policy Report, ‘Reclaiming Children’s Services’ (thanks for the nod to Hackney’s reclaiming work!), Solace make a number of cogent propositions for developing new models of delivering children’s services and taking back from central government and other agencies, services once delivered by local government.
Unfortunately, attention to this important paper has been diverted onto the least well thought through recommendation – to remove the statutory requirement for a Director of Children’s Services (DCS).
At this minute, in every local authority, an individual is carrying out the statutory functions, duties and responsibilities of the DCS – including education and children’s social care – and another individual performs the statutory role of lead member for children’s services (not mentioned in the Solace paper!).
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