THE DIRECTOR of Tameside Council’s ‘inadequate’ children’s services department has resigned.
And it is understood a Government-appointed commissioner, who has conducted a review of the service, will stop short of placing it into a centrally-run trust.
Allison Parkinson was placed in charge as interim director of the department, which was heavily criticised in a scathing report by Ofsted inspectors.
However, the hunt is on for her replacement after she stepped down.
In an email update, Tameside Council’s chief executive Sandra Stewart said: “Our interim director of children’s services, Alli Parkinson, who is a children’s services transformation specialist, has decided that now is the right time to move on from her role as we move into the next stage of our improvement journey, having put the necessary processes and governance in place including a social work academy to enable the right environment for the success of children’s.
“Since joining us in August 2023, Alli has been an important part of our children’s services improvement process and has led and supported the service whilst our children’s commissioner has been undertaking his diagnostic into the capability and capacity of the council to improve.
“Both Ofsted and the commissioner have recognised the substantial positive impact that Alli has brought to children’s services.
“I would like to thank Alli for her hard work and dedication as the director of children’s services and her commitment to improving outcomes for our children and families during her time at the council.
“Allison has been a key member of our senior leadership team and we wish her all the very best for the future.”
Andy Couldrick was appointed as commissioner to oversee the children’s services department and deliver his verdict on whether the Government should take charge.
However, The Correspondent understands another will be brought in for three months as they look to recruit a full-time director.
Political head, Cllr Bill Fairfoull, was replaced by Cllr Teresa Smith after the critical Ofsted report, which followed a similar verdict into Tameside’s SEND provision.
It said: “The quality of social work practice has deteriorated for those children in need of help and protection and children in care.
“There are serious failures that leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. Children who need help and protection are not always identified at the earliest opportunity.
“The quality of assessments is not good enough, therefore, children are not receiving the right interventions at the right time.
“Too many experience drift and delay, including changes in social worker, weak planning that is overly adult-focused and a lack of robust management oversight and direction.
“As a result, some experience ongoing harm and live in neglectful situations for too long, without timely authoritative action being taken.
“There has been ineffective senior leadership in Tameside since the last inspection, which has resulted in too many not receiving effective services that meet their needs.”
In this latest update, Sandra Stewart revealed Mr Couldrick’s report is intended to be published the week commencing September 9.
And she added: “We have agreed with the commissioner that we will be going out immediately to national advert for the director of children’s together with a number of key leadership posts in children’s, including the assistant director of education and the assistant director for family partnerships.
“Arrangements are already in place to recruit a permanent appointment to this role over the coming weeks.
“In the meantime, I am seeking to put in place suitable arrangements to lead the service as director of children’s services until the role is filled permanently within the next three months.
“I want to reassure you that we remain focussed on improving the outcomes for our vulnerable children and families, supporting our colleagues and continuing to work closely with our partners to deliver the best possible service for our residents.
“I acknowledge that these changes may be unsettling for our workforce and partners.
“However, I am keen to create a permanent and stable workforce, and I am sure you will agree with me, our job is to focus on the immediate concerns of ensuring we have each individually met our statutory and corporate responsibilities to protect and safeguard children and support children and families to achieve their best.”
A Tameside Council spokesperson said:
“Following the Ofsted inspection in December 2023, the Children’s Minister commissioned a Children’s Commissioner to undertake a diagnostic into the capability and capacity of the Council to deliver Children’s Services.
“The Children’s Commissioner’s report together with the Minister’s statutory order setting out next steps will be published the week commencing 9 September 2024.
“We have agreed with the Commissioner that with the publication of his report, we are now at the right stage to go out to national advert to appoint a permanent Director of Children Services, together with a number of key leadership posts.
“Our Interim Director of Children’s Services, Allison Parkinson, who is a children’s services transformation specialist has decided that now is the right time to ‘hand on the baton” as we move into the next stage of our improvement journey, having put the necessary processes and governance in place.
“Since joining us in August 2023, Allison has been an important part of our Children’s Services improvement process and has led and supported the service. Both Ofsted and the Commissioner have recognised the substantial positive impact that Allison has brought to Children’s Services.
“We are grateful to Allison for her hard work and dedication as the Director of Children’s Service and her commitment to improving outcomes for our children and families during her time at the Council.
“We remain focussed on improving the outcomes for our vulnerable children and families, supporting our colleagues and continuing to work closely with our partners to deliver the best possible service for Children and Young People.
“We acknowledge that these changes may be unsettling for our workforce and partners. However, we are keen to create a permanent and stable workforce, to protect and safeguard children and support children and families to achieve their best”.
Although it’s unlikely to happen, I feel that the whole of Tameside MBC needs to be put under the microscope.
Those who could and should hold the council to account always seem to be looking the other way.
Children of Tameside have been putting children in danger for far too long. These people need to have serious consequences for their actions not just to be let go. From personal experience where my 2 children were put back with their abuser. Now on Monday I’ll be fighting for my daughter’s freedom as Tameside Children Services want to put a Deprivation and Liberty order on her so she doesn’t talk about her abuse which was totally preventable. These people are criminals.