It’s good to be in Manchester for the National Children and Adult Services Conference. The city’s whole civic edifice reminds us of the great and grand tradition of the force for good that is local government.
Today, more than ever, we need to be inspired by the innovative and ground breaking traditions of the sector; its imaginative, thoughtful and effective response to the needs of residents and its stubborn determination to keep seeking improvements despite the prevailing winds of economic service pressure.
This year sees two significant milestones in children’s services, the 25th anniversary of the Children Act 1989 coming into force and the 10th anniversary of the creation of the role of the director of children’s services (DCS).
The context in which we operate is virtually unrecognisable now, even compared to a decade ago, but the duties still remain as relevant as ever. ADCS seeks to positively promote the safety, health and education attainment of all children and young people in their area to enable them to achieve their potential. We know others share this role and agenda so we have to make sure the right framework to support the delivery of our common objectives is in place.
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