County gets a new boss for children’s unit (From Echo)

County gets a new boss for children’s unit

7:40am Sunday 25th July 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(10)

A NEW director will be taking over the troubled children’s services at Essex County Council as the department looks to appoint 40 foreign social workers.

Dave Hill will move from a similar role in Croydon into the post of executive director for schools, children and families in the autumn.

The council is also looking for an overseas recruitment supplier and is offering a two-year contract, worth up to £150,000, for a company to bring in non-EU social workers to “reduce reliance on agency staff”.

The changes come after an Ofsted report in January 2009 gave the council a rating of one out of five, stating its inadequacies in safeguarding vulnerable children in the county.

As a result, new social workers were due to be appointed as part of a £13million programme to improve children’s services.

Then in December 2009 a new Ofsted report again criticised the council as failing when it comes to providing children’s services.

Essex County Council responded by stating it would bring in new technology to reduce bureaucracy and enlist the private firm Serco to help with temporary social workers.

Now a new head will be joining to replace Graham Tombs, who left late last year, and interim head Malcolm Newsam. Mr Hill has a background in local government and children’s services and is a member of the Social Work Reform Board and part of the development group for the national college for social work.

Joanna Killian, chief executive at Essex County Council said: “I am delighted to have appointed a candidate of such calibre to the post.

“Dave’s experience demonstrates his ability to drive up standards and improve performance while engaging with staff and service users to deliver services residents can be proud of.”

Mr Hill said: “I am looking forward to joining Essex County Council.

“I believe my achievements at Croydon will act as an excellent platform for the challenges awaiting me in Essex.

“I intend to continue the improvement journey that Essex children’s services has embarked upon and relish the opportunities the role brings.”