Jenny Coles to retire as Hertfordshire’s director of children’s services
Eloise Feilden
Monday, April 12, 2021
Hertfordshire County Council’s director of children’s services is to step down from the role after more than a decade.
Jenny Coles, who has also served as president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), announced she will retire from the local authority at the end of August 2021.
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Qualifying as a social worker in Luton in 1986, Coles has worked to improve children’s services in Hertfordshire for more than a decade in her post as director, most notably receiving national recognition for the council’s Family Safeguarding model from the Department for Education in 2017.
Coles described her time as director of children’s services at Hertfordshire as a “privilege”, and noted her appreciation for “committed and motivated colleagues in children’s services, the council, education and schools and partners across Hertfordshire working with children and families”.
In her role as ADCS president for 2020, Coles led the local response to the Covid-19 crisis, combatting the challenges to the sector that the pandemic has brought about.
Coles’ term as ADCS president ended earlier this month with Salford City Council’s strategic director for people Charlotte Ramsden taking on the role.
Before becoming vice-president of the ADCS in April 2019 Coles chaired the ADCS families, communities and young people policy committee for more than five years.
Owen Mapley, chief executive at Hertfordshire Council said: “We are extremely grateful for the immense contribution Jenny has made to supporting children, young people and families in Hertfordshire and well beyond. Her leadership has been recognised and respected by local, regional and national colleagues and partners and we wish her all the very best for the future.”
The council has said a “recruitment campaign to identify and appoint a successor will begin shortly”.