Herefordshire Council welcomes partnership working with Leeds City Council colleagues as part of the children’s services improvement programme
Herefordshire Council is to work with one of the country’s leading children’s services teams as part of a new long-term improvement partnership.
The council has welcomed colleagues from Leeds City Council – where the children’s service is rated ‘Outstanding’ and has a strong track record of working with other authorities to help improve services – as work starts under the new partnership.
The move is a significant development in Herefordshire children’s services improvement programme and has been warmly welcomed.
The two authorities will work together to improve the way Herefordshire’s children’s services work with families to improve outcomes and ensure that the children and young people across the county thrive.
Leeds City Council have been chosen to work with Herefordshire because of their own experience and learning which helped them improve to be rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. Leeds have been widely praised for their services and practice and have worked with a growing number of local authorities across England to help them improve their children’s services.
Darryl Freeman, Herefordshire Council’s Corporate Director for Children and Young People, said:
“I’m really pleased to welcome our colleagues from Leeds on board as our long-term improvement partners. They have experience in turning around their own children’s services to become an ‘Outstanding’ rated service and with their knowledge and support we hope to increase the pace of our improvement journey.”
Councillor Ivan Powell, Cabinet Member Children and Young People, added:
“We are delighted to have Leeds on board and look forward to working closely with them for the foreseeable future. This partnership is another positive step forward in Herefordshire’s improvement journey.”
Sal Tariq, Director of the Leeds Relational Practice Centre, said:
“We’re really excited to be working with Herefordshire. Our initial meetings with Children’s Services in Herefordshire have been really positive – there is a real energy and passion for changing the way children’s services work with children and families.”
For more information about the wider improvement plan work, visit the Herefordshire’s children’s services improvements page on the council’s website: www.herefordshire.gov.uk/improvement
For more information on Leeds City Council’s work to support local authorities with their children’s services improvements, follow the Leeds Relational Practice Centre on twitter @LeedsRPC