Future ADCS president warns of challenge to save DCS role

Ahead of his appointment as ADCS vice president in April, Dave Hill, who is a so-called “twin hatter” at Essex County Council, said the tipping point, whereby there are fewer "pure" DCSs than twin hatters has been reached.

Analysis by CYP Now published last July found that out of 152 local authorities, there were 59 DCSs (39.3 per cent), who were responsible for more than one directorate.

Hill says more authorities have pursued the trend in the past six months.

“I suspect we are in the 80s now,” he said. “There are probably more twin-hatters than single-hatters.”

Hill, who will play a supporting role to Alison O’Sullivan when she takes over the ADCS presidency from current incumbent Alan Wood in April, will himself go on take up the presidency in April 2016.

He told CYP Now the changing nature of the role was one of the reasons he put his name forward.

“I feel that with a lot of us now being responsible for both children’s and adults services we are at a key moment in our history,” he said.

“With the general election coming it is a time of tremendous change and I’m excited to put my hat in the ring.”

He said the role of director of children’s services has been a success over the past decade, having been introduced into law by the Children Act 2004, but warned that the ADCS faces a fight in the future to retain it.

“The ADCS has huge work to do to make sure the position is not eroded,” he said.

“I still feel passionately that having one person, even if they have two hats, has been a major success over the past 10 years.

“I started [as a DCS] in 2005 and I think the role has made a huge difference.”