Leaders of steel

In a turbulent time of rocketing energy prices (remember what that was like?), the chairman of British Steel (there’s a memory of a time gone by!) confirmed that it was not his job to make steel, but his job to make money. He was clear as to what he considered the purpose of his role and who he was appointed to serve.

Even the most purist among us would accept that as leaders in children’s services, a significant burden we carry is the role we have as custodians of the public purse and how serious this challenge can be. Whilst some of us are contributing to the Herculean task of councils setting their 2022/23 budget, or whether it’s limping our way towards the end of another challenging financial year, there remains a clear and shared determination to continue to meet some long-term challenges and endeavour to achieve sustainable change for children and families. All this whilst continuing to prioritise the value of what we do, and not just the cost, and to keep close the things we hold dear.