A child dies in appalling circumstances. The tragic details are splashed across newspaper front pages and TV screens. And another director of children's services (DCS) bites the dust.
This scenario has become increasingly familiar. The highly respected former Coventry DCS Colin Green, whose long-planned retirement in August occurred as the tragic case of Daniel Pelka was unravelling, is among the latest to face censure. Green was due to take up the role of chair of the local safeguarding children board in Tower Hamlets last month but in the light of the Pelka tragedy he was forced to withdraw.
"In this case, Colin had the bad luck – and I'd put it like that – to have a high-profile case with a contested court case in which lots of juicy details came out to tease the media," says former DCS turned freelance consultant John Freeman. "He seems to have been dropped off the sled to appease the following wolves."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
