Birmingham recruits Lincolnshire children's services chief

By Lauren Higgs Friday, 27 January 2012

Birmingham's embattled children's services department has appointed a director from an Ofsted-rated outstanding authority to turn around its fortunes.

Duxbury: has experience as a social worker and youth justice worker

Peter Duxbury, currently executive director of children’s and adults’ services at Lincolnshire County Council, was offered the job earlier this month following a series of interviews, including one by a panel of four young people.

He will take up the director of children’s services post in Birmingham from the beginning of April, replacing Eleanor Brazil who was drafted in by government on a temporary basis to overhaul local services as part of an improvement notice.

Duxbury became the director of children’s services at Lincolnshire in 2005 and led the authority from being rated adequate by Ofsted to outstanding.

Prior to that he worked as a social worker and youth justice worker at several local authorities in the north-west of England before becoming assistant director of children’s services in Liverpool in 2001.

Les Lawrence, Birmingham’s lead member for children, young people and families, said: "The decision to appoint Peter was unanimous and I was particularly pleased to see such astute assessments from the panel of young people who were involved in the interview process.

"I very much look forward to working with Peter to continue the challenging but rewarding work of improving the lives of all children and young people in Birmingham."

Duxbury added: "I am looking forward to working with staff, councillors, young people and parents to build on progress made so far, and create the excellent children’s services that this great city deserves."

Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham Council and chairman of the leader’s children’s services taskforce, said Duxbury is taking up one of the most challenging and rewarding roles in local government.

"It is a role that comes with high expectation from the council, and from the government, as a key priority area for Birmingham," he said. "The foundations have been laid with the new model of service and I have every confidence that Peter will do an excellent job in continuing the evolution of the service."