Ofsted's tougher social care inspection regime makes it likely that more children's services will receive "inadequate" judgments and so be looking for solutions. Who's to say that outsourcing will only be considered for failing areas? The silver lining for children's services is that the study has sector leaders at its core: new Association of Directors of Children's Services president Alan Wood and chief children's social worker Isabelle Trowler. While both were involved in the reviews into Doncaster and Birmingham children's services, their central role in the study should ensure the sector has a hand in shaping the future. And as Wood himself says in our interview (p18), it is "much better for the ADCS to be involved in things, than not to be involved".
derren.hayes@markallengroup.com.
