Children's Workforce Guide to Qualifications and Training: Directors

Budget cuts and public service reforms have redefined "business as usual" in children's services, and leaders are increasingly required to develop a sustainable service that works to build resilience and capacity among families, communities and individuals. "Achieving this will take brave, collective and sustained acts of leadership across systems and throughout organisational structures," says Roger Bushell, principal associate at the Staff College, formerly the Virtual Staff College.

The Leadership for Change programme, a collaboration between the Staff College, Skills for Care, the NHS Leadership Academy, Public Health England and the Leadership Centre for Local Government, aims to tackle this challenge. It is open to those at director or assistant director level from children's services, adult social care, public health and the NHS. During the programme small teams of senior professionals from each council work together on solutions to long-standing challenges within their locality.

A Future Directors Programme, part of Leadership for Change, is an ongoing collaboration between the Staff College and Public Health England. It provides an opportunity for senior officers, who aspire to director level roles in children's services and public health, to learn from each other and prepare for the next phase of their careers.

The college manages the sector mentoring scheme on behalf of the Association of Directors of Children's Services, as well as an executive coaching scheme for directors of children's services and assistant directors. Its annual Leadership Academy Programme, now in its 10th year, gives senior leaders and managers the opportunity to share practice and reflect on the most pressing issues facing them. A digital learning portal allows directors of children's services and those nominated by them to take part in discussion forums and contribute to the development of think pieces and factsheets.

The Staff College also works with individual councils and across regional partnerships to design and deliver bespoke programmes in areas including social care, safeguarding, school improvement and health and wellbeing.

Lead members for children's services can also access training from the Local Government Association (LGA) to bring them up to speed. The residential Leadership Essentials Children's Services programme is an intensive introduction to the role of lead member. The LGA offers lead members peer support though mentorship or coaching programmes, and has developed bespoke learning and development support.