New directors’ training programme extended to help tackle DCS turnover

Read the original article by Mithran Samuel via Community Care.

Incoming directors of children’s services are now being offered a year of coaching following 12-month training programme, after figures show DCS turnover rose for a third consecutive year in 2023-24.

A training scheme for new directors of children’s services (DCSs) has been extended in length to help counter high rates of turnover in the role.

New DCSs are now being offered a second year of coaching following the 12-month training programme for incoming directors, under a new contract between the Department for Education (DfE) and the scheme’s providers.

The new directors’ scheme is one half of the DCS Leadership Programme – formerly called Upon – alongside a course for senior managers looking to step up into the role.

Since its inception in 2020, it has been delivered by leadership training organisation the Staff College, workforce development body Skills for Care, the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University and recruitment agency GatenbySanderson.

Anyone in their first director’s post is invited to go on the new DCS programme within two weeks of taking up their post, with the training, comprising virtual and face-to-face learning, delivered on a rolling basis.

Tackling DCS turnover through increased support

One change from the previous contract is that new directors will receive a second year of coaching beyond the core 12 months of training, which will include online sessions and one-to-one support from current or former DCSs and an annual residential session.

Staff College chief executive Jane Parfrement said the additional provision was designed to help tackle turnover rates among directors, which rose for the third consecutive year in 2023-24, during which there were 62 changes of role.

“The extended support offer for the first two years is in recognition of that and to support people to stay in role,” she added.

The extended support was welcomed by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, whose president, Andy Smith, said: “The role of the director of children’s services is the most rewarding in local government, but it is also one of the most challenging, high stakes and high accountability roles, requiring unique leadership and partnership skills.

“Therefore, having optional long-term coaching and support is a positive offer.”

‘Diversity of training scheme improving’

Another longstanding issue with the DCS role has been its lack of racial and ethnic diversity, with just 2% of postholders being black in 2023-24, compared with 14% of the children’s social work workforce. By contrast, 90% of DCSs were white, compared with 75% of the children’s social work workforce.

Parfrement said the college was seeing more ethnic diversity in the programme for aspirant directors, which is delivered once a year for those wanting to step up into senior leadership. It comprises eight taught days and is also followed by a period of coaching.

She said the college had also increased the diversity of coaches and facilitators on the programme, enabling it to better match them to participants.

“We can match our coaches in relation to protected characteristics,” she said. “If someone says, ‘I’d really like a coach who knows what it’s like to be a woman or someone from a global majority background in a leadership role”, [we can respond to that].”

She added that the diversity of senior leadership was also being boosted by increasing numbers of graduates from the college’s Black and Asian Leadership Initiative (BALI), for aspiring leaders from minoritised groups, taking up posts.