Ofsted's Debbie Jones quits social care director post
Neil Puffett
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Ofsted's director of social care Debbie Jones has resigned her post, CYP Now can reveal.
Jones’s resignation comes a little over 18 months after she took up post in September 2013.
During Jones’s time at Ofsted, the watchdog introduced its controversial single inspection framework for children’s services, which came into effect in November 2013.
In January this year CYP Now reported that nearly half of councils inspected under the new framework have seen their rating fall.
Of the 41 councils whose judgments have been published by Ofsted up to 20 January, 10 have been rated “good”, 24 “requires improvement” and seven “inadequate”.
An Ofsted spokesman said: "We can confirm Debbie Jones has announced her intention to step down from her role of national director for social care and regional director for London at the end of May.
"Having been instrumental in overseeing the successful introduction of Ofsted's more rigorous single inspection framework for children's social care, and building upon the strength and resilience of her regional team in London, Debbie has decided that this is the right time to seek new challenges.”
Matthew Coffey, chief operating officer at Ofsted, said: "I would like to put on record our appreciation for all Debbie's hard work and significant achievements over the last 18 months, and wish her well for the future.”
Before joining Ofsted, Jones was director of children’s services in Lambeth and was president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services in 2012/13.