Director of children's services: Do you have what it takes?

In one of the first appointments of its kind in the country, Northumberland County Council has appointed Trevor Doughty as director of children's services. He moves from South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council, where he was director of social services (social care and health), and will step into a post that has been carefully planned.

For Northumberland is establishing a Families and Children's Trust after a review of local services for children and young people. Doughty will manage an amalgamated social services and education department. Staff from health, Connexions and youth offending will be seconded to the teams he manages.

Northumberland was the first local authority to establish a care trust for all adult services. Jeremy Cripps, the trust's project implementation manager, thinks this has created confidence in partnerships and wide support for an integrated approach to children's services. "Our new director will have a solid base to build on, with lots of support and enthusiasm from staff," he says.