Smith, who became the first female Home Secretary when appointed by Gordon Brown in June 2007, will take up the role at Sandwell Children's Social Care Trust this month.
Sandwell was subject to three damning Ofsted reports in the space of two years, with children's services rated "inadequate" in June 2015, on the back of inadequate judgments for its looked-after children's services in August 2013 and its child protection work in April 2013.
A decision to establish a children's trust at the council was taken by former children's minister Edward Timpson in October 2016, despite the threat of industrial action from staff.
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