ADCS president: Government needs cross-departmental plan for children

“There needs to be real clarity from each of the government departments around how they prioritise and focus on children, so it becomes much clearer and much more joined up,” said Andy Smith, director of children and adult services at Derby City Council.

In an interview with CYP Now, Smith suggested that while a call by major children’s charities for government to create a cabinet minister for children could lead to positive outcomes, “we need each government department to be championing children”.

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“The risk if it's all invested in one person is that children’s issues are seen to be that person's responsibility rather than each government department taking responsibility for how they coordinate and identify their priorities and their ambition for ​children,” he added.

Smith, who has led Derby’s children’ services for nine years, also called for greater support and value of directors of children’s services (DCSs) after latest ADCS figures showed the highest turnover of children’s services leaders on record last year.

“I don't want to say for a minute that not all change is positive, but I just think the impact of the churn is that we've got a system that sees a lot of shifting around - there will be, some challenges as well as some opportunities from that.

“It's about trying to get underneath and understand the reasons for the churn and ensuring that we have a discourse about that which helps us to understand the things that are working well,” he added.

Smith, who was taken into care as a baby and adopted by his foster parents aged 11, also told of how his personal experience shaped his career as a social worker and later a director of children and adult services.

“I had the same social work from seven up to before my 11th birthday and we were in contact until by early 20s. I remember this person taking a real interest in me, she’d come to school plays and take me out for lunch - I remember her taking me out for my first curry at about the age of 10.

“There's something about the significance of social workers’ impact on children that has shaped me in terms of my career but also terms of those values – to really understand and take an interest in people.

“I try and bring those experiences into conversations with social workers and the people that I work with. It’s stood me in good stead, I feel I’m an authentic leader because of that.”