Bradford Council's director of children’s services resigns
Fiona Simpson
Monday, October 18, 2021
Bradford Council’s director of children’s services (DCS) has resigned leaving the local authority looking for a fourth post-holder in just three years.
Mark Douglas announced his resignation last week, after two years in the role, following a series of criticisms of the council’s children’s services which is rated “inadequate” by Ofsted.
During its last full inspection in 2018, Bradford was handed the inspectorate’s lowest rating over concerns “some children were at serious risk of harm”.
In June, the council was issued with a direction notice to improve over the “slow pace of change” following a series of monitoring visits.
Steve Walker, director of Leeds’ strengthening families, protecting children improvement programme, has been appointed as commissioner for children's services at Bradford.
Seven of the council's children's homes have been inspected by Ofsted since June.
Inspectors rated three of these homes "inadequate" and a fourth "requires improvement".
The remaining three retained a "good" rating.
In July, an independent review into the sexual abuse of children in the city found that some "remain unprotected" from exploitation.
Announcing his departure, Douglas said: “I am extremely proud of the improvements that we have made in children's services over the past two and a half years and I am confident that all services will continue on their journey of improvement so that the children and young people of Bradford receive good and outstanding provision.
“Following the challenges of the Covid pandemic I have decided that it is the right time for me to look for my next role and will therefore be leaving Bradford Council.”
Kersten England, chief executive of Bradford Council, added: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mark for the work he has done since he joined the council in 2019. Mark has led children’s services during an unprecedented and challenging time during which the service has delivered a number of improved outcomes for children including making progress in the quality of social care practice.”
Previous director of children’s services, Michael Jameson left Bradford shortly after the initial Ofsted judgment and was replaced by Gladys Rhodes White, who was appointed as interim strategic director of children’s social care in November 2018 until Douglas was recruited in May 2019, moving from the position of director of children’s social care at Doncaster Children’s Services Trust.
The council has announced that Marium Haque, deputy director for education and learning at Bradford, will take over the role until a new director is recruited.
