These resources are intended to guide and support you in delivery of the key statutory functions of the DCS, including ways to strategically manage service demand, keep a grip on performance and quality and ensure that services deliver value for money – in order to deliver better outcomes for children, young people and families.

Speech from ADCS President, Andy Smith

Understanding Education

Looking to get a better understanding of the nuts and bolts of the education world? This series of briefings have been specially commissioned for the DCS Leadership Programme, to help sector leaders less familiar with the education system to get some basic answers to the question ‘What do I need to know…?’

Childrens Social Care and statutory duties – key publications

Looking for a quick guide to Children’s Social Care? This March 2021 Briefing Paper from the House of Commons Library, although now slightly dated, provides a source of background material on the legal framework, policy context, national trends, etc, brought together in one place. (Read time: 45 minutes) ADCS reports, including annual Safeguarding Pressures reports found on the ADCS home page.

The Road to DCS

Video for the “Day in the Life of a DCS” series. Featured: Lucy Butler, Executive Director of Children, Young People and Learning for West Sussex County Council Stuart Carlton, Director of Children’s Services for North Yorkshire Council Pinaki Ghoshal, Executive Director of Children and Young People for London Borough of Lewisham Council Gail Hopper, Director of Children’s Services for Rochdale Borough Council Charlotte Ramsden, Chief Executive Officer of the Bradford Children and Families Trust.

Watch time: 4 minutes

The Road to DCS

Video for the “Day in the Life of a DCS” series. Featured: Lucy Butler, Executive Director of Children, Young People and Learning for West Sussex County Council Stuart Carlton, Director of Children’s Services for North Yorkshire Council Pinaki Ghoshal, Executive Director of Children and Young People for London Borough of Lewisham Council Gail Hopper, Director of Children’s Services for Rochdale Borough Council Charlotte Ramsden, Chief Executive Officer of the Bradford Children and Families Trust.

Watch time: 5 minutes

There’s no such thing as a typical day

Video for the “Day in the Life of a DCS” series. Featured: Lucy Butler, Executive Director of Children, Young People and Learning for West Sussex County Council Stuart Carlton, Director of Children’s Services for North Yorkshire Council Pinaki Ghoshal, Executive Director of Children and Young People for London Borough of Lewisham Council Gail Hopper, Director of Children’s Services for Rochdale Borough Council Charlotte Ramsden, Chief Executive Officer of the Bradford Children and Families Trust.

Watch time: 4 minutes

IPC Discussion Paper – Supply Management

The Coronavirus pandemic threatens further growth in demand on the system and with this comes a more acute pressure to re-examine the way in which children’s services are organised. This paper considers how the historic commissioned interfaces with independent providers can be transformed to survive the aftermath of these unprecedented challenges.

Read time: 10 minutes

Managing Authenticity – The Paradox of Great Leadership

To attract followers, a leader has to be many things to many people. The trick is to pull that off while remaining true to yourself.

Read time: 12 minutes

Whole New World

Welcoming the knottiness of the world feeds into a more equitable relationship between funders and communities – valuing learning and improving, rather than proving; asking what matters, not what’s the matter; and putting people in the lead, instead of prescribing the solution.

Read times: 120 minutes and 45 minutes

Trust, Power and Collaboration

Exploring Human Learning Systems approaches in commissioning and funding relationships with voluntary and community organisations.

Read time: 40 minutes

Statutory Guidance

Statutory Guidance on the Roles & Responsibilities of a DCS and Lead Member For Children’s Services. This is statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State for Education. This guidance covers the legislative basis for the two appointments, roles and responsibilities of the post holders, and how this relates to Government expectations about local authorities’ role in education and children and young people’s services.

Read time: 20 minutes

Balcony or battlefield

This short commentary has been written by IPC Associate Lynda Bull. The piece explores how to support senior managers in adult social care and offers a number of considerations and suggestions. While it draws on current thinking, it is essentially based on Lynda’s observation, her personal experience as an ex-director of adult social care and considered thought with the intention of being a helpful aide-memoire for senior managers in adult social care. Its messages are equally relevant for leaders in children’s services.

Read time: 5 minutes

Leadership imbalance – Black and Asian leaders missing in action

A think piece by Meera Spillett, Designer of the Black and Asian Leadership Initiative and former DCS. The reality across children’s services in England and Wales is that despite an increasing Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) population both using and working in children’s services and the public sector as a whole, it is still possible to count on one hand the number of directors of children’s services who are Black.

Read time: 15 minutes

Cultural Competence

This paper suggests that there exists a uniting concept, that when effectively applied, can become a powerful tool for whole organisational and individual change, potentially creating the context for increased equity in the workplace and ultimately leading to improved service provision for diverse communities.

Read time: 45 minutes

The First 90 Days

The First 90 Days will equip you with strategies and tools to get up to speed faster and achieve more sooner. This summary will show you how to diagnose your situation and understand its challenges and opportunities. You’ll also learn how to assess your own strengths and weaknesses, how to quickly establish priorities, and how to manage key relationships that will help you succeed.

Read time: 15 minutes

Working with Complex Problems

Understanding the wicked issues facing leadership is the first step in developing your working processes.

Read time: 5 minutes

Understanding the complexities of the market for children’s social care placements

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