Jacqui Smith: 'It’s a chance to make a difference' for Sandwell's children
She was the first female Home Secretary in the country and now Jacqui Smith will try and turn around a Black Country borough's failing child services.
The former MP for Redditch, who was infamously embroiled in the expenses scandal, has started her job as chair of the board of the new Sandwell Children's Social Care Trust.
The Government funded independent body has taken over the service which has been 'Inadequate' since 2013 under the control of Sandwell Council.
Ms Smith told the Express & Star: "I think the priorities are to make sure we have got the children's social workers in place, enough of them, who are suitably supported to take those really difficult decisions day-in and day-out that they have to take about keeping children safe and working with families.
"That means there needs to be stability in the leadership of the service and one of the things that happens when services get into trouble is lots of people come in and go and there is lots of instability which is obviously worrying for staff who are trying to get on with the job.
"So providing that is important and then making sure that our staff have got the resources and the support that they need to do that job properly."
The former teacher, from Malvern, now aged 54, was a Labour MP between 1997 and 2010 holding the posts of Schools Minister, Health Minister, Government Chief Whip as well Home Secretary.
Since losing her seat she has chaired the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and served as interim chair at the Heart of England NHS Trust.
Ms Smith is expected to be in her new role for four years declaring she felt 'fortunate' and 'honoured' after applying for the position and been chosen.
She said: "I think it is important to be here for a period of time that enables us to make sure we have got the basics right but also the opportunity to innovate and think about how we might do things differently, how we work with our partners, how we support our social workers to really be able to develop their practice and come up with interesting ideas that the freedom of the trust model will enable us to put into place.
"I was a teacher for a number of years and then I was a minister in a number of departments including the Department for Education but also a period of time when I was responsible in the Department for Health for children's social care, so I think that some of that puts me in good stead.
"I think the work I do currently across the West Midlands in the health service, the links that I have got to other agencies and public services, all of that I hope plus my now lengthy experience in developing policy and innovating public service I hope all of that is what qualifies me to do the job and most of all I am really passionate about it. I think it is a really exciting opportunity to make a difference to the lives of children and families here in Sandwell."
Despite having the honour of being one of only three women to hold one of the major offices of state when she was made Home Secretary in 2007 under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Ms Smith also court controversy during her time in the House of Commons, no more so than when she found herself at the heart of the expenses scandal in 2009, when she was made to apologise over claims including her sister's home in London and, embarrassingly, adult films.
Perhaps unsurprisingly she said she did not miss 'frontline' politics adding: "I am out of Parliament not necessarily out of politics, lots of political decisions influence what we will be able to do here, at children's care trust and what I do in the health service.
"Politics remains very important but I am very happy not to be on the frontline of politics anymore but on the frontline of actually delivering for children and families here in Sandwell."
Council leader Steve Eling, added: “I welcome Jacqui Smith’s appointment as chair of the trust and look forward to working with her as we launch a fresh approach for children’s social care services in Sandwell.
“We want to build on recent improvements with a board that will focus on providing a clear vision, be innovative and strive to deliver rapid and sustained improvements.
“She has a wealth of experience to help the trust address the challenges we face and, working with all our key partners, improve social care services to children in Sandwell.”
