'Must knows' for children's services portfolio holders

These 'must knows' are a long-standing source of information and support for children's services portfolio holders.


The following suite of information was comprehensively revised in 2015 and focuses on the key issues facing children's services portfolio holders and the current and planned reforms impacting on children's services.

Obesity

The guide describes a six-phase process, which can be used flexibly by local authorities, taking into account existing structures, relationships and actions that are already in place to tackle obesity.

Education

Despite considerable changes in national education policy and school organisation over recent years, councils retain the bulk of their statutory duties. They have a key role as champions of educational excellence for all children and young people in their areas.

Special educational needs and disability

Councils, schools, colleges and health services must work together to support children and young people with special needs and disabilities.

Youth services

Councils have a statutory duty to ‘secure, so far is reasonably practicable, equality of access for all young people to the positive, preventative and early help they need to improve their wellbeing', and to enable young people to lead their local offer. There are no longer separate inspections of local authority youth services.

What happens if your children's services are judged inadequate by Ofsted?

A council children's services department is likely to face central government intervention following an As children's services portfolio holder you hold political responsibility for the leadership, strategy and effectiveness of council children’s services and will work closely with the director of children’s services who carries the professional accountability.

Chief executives' 'must know' for children's services

This publication has been shaped by chief executives who are either former directors of children’s services or for other reasons have been closely associated with leading improvement journeys in council children’s services.