ADCS announces president for 2019
Joe Lepper
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
The current director of children's services in Barnsley will become president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) in 2019/20, it has been announced.
Rachel Dickinson, who is executive director for people at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, will become vice president in 2018/2019, ahead of taking over as president in April 2019.
Before joining Barnsley she spent four years at Leicester City Council as director of children's services.
Dickinson will take over the ADCS presidency from East Sussex County Council director of children's services Stuart Gallimore, who is currently vice president and takes over as president in April 2018.
Gallimore is a former director of children's services at West Sussex before joining East Sussex in April 2014.
The current president is Nottingham director of children's services Alison Michalska.
Commenting on Dickinson's appointment Michalska said: "I am delighted that Rachel will be taking up the important role of ADCS vice president in April.
"Children's services are facing some of their most pressing challenges so it's vital that the sector has a strong, unified and consistent voice which places children at the heart of the national agenda.
"I am confident that Rachel will embrace the variety of challenges and opportunities the role will bring."
Dickinson, who joined Barnsley in June 2013, has been an advocate of regional co-operation among children's services departments through her role as chair of the ADCS's Yorkshire and Humber group.
Councils across the region jointly run the Children's Social Work Matters website to boost social work recruitment and coordinate training across Yorkshire and Humberside, which according to latest Department for Education figures has the lowest social worker vacancy, turnover and agency worker rates in England.
