New trust recruiting £750-a-day boss to manage failing Sandwell children's services
A boss is being sought to head up a new trust that will take on Sandwell’s failing children’s services department.
The successful candidate will be paid £750 a day to help ‘deliver fast improvements’ to the department.
It comes as a watchdog said that the service remained a ‘significant weakness’ despite signs of ‘slow improvement’.
The position will be for someone to chair the board of the trust and the appointment will be made by the Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening MP.
An advert for the role says: “The new Sandwell Children’s Social Care Trust, is committed to achieving exactly that. We want to realise the potential of every single child – personally, academically and professionally.
“Innovative and visionary, you’ll work with the Board to deliver fast improvements. That way, we can support our social workers and help every single child.”
The children’s services department was rated inadequate in 2013. The Care Qualify Commission and Ofsted returned to inspect it in March to scrutinise what progress had been made. Inspectors found that the service remained a ‘significant weakness’ despite signs of ‘slow improvement’.
They said in Sandwell there was a ‘legacy of poor practice’ and ‘despite improvements, children and young people’s needs are still not identified accurately enough’.
But inspectors also highlighted that there were ‘signs of slow improvement’.
The advertised role will initially last for between six to eight months.
Councillor Steve Eling, council leader, said: “The creation of the Sandwell Children’s Social Care Trust marks a fresh start for Sandwell’s children’s social care services.
“Our ambition is that the trust, building on recent improvements will drive a sustainable model of delivery and improvement designed to bring good and outstanding services to the Borough. – innovating where possible and using the freedoms of the Trust approach to develop a new and sharper focus to address the challenges we face. We are seeking to appoint a board that sets a clear vision and will strive to achieve the trust’s aim of rapid and sustained improvement.”
To apply for the role, visit www.sandwellcsctrustroles.com
