New improvement board role will oversee improvement in county's Children's Services

04 February 2022

In 2019 the Department for Education (DfE) appointed a Commissioner to oversee improvements to Children’s Services at Northamptonshire whilst they prepared to transfer to an independent trust in 2020.
 
Last year, the Commissioner advised the Minister for Children and Families that he felt that sufficient progress had been demonstrated by the new Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and that the role of commissioner was no longer required.

I welcome reports of positive improvement in the services provided by Northamptonshire’s Children’s services.

However, I am firmly of the view that independent oversight is still required, reflecting both the importance of the service and the early position of the Trust’s improvement journey. 

This is why we have worked with the government and insisted that there was a continuation of this oversight role so that Northamptonshire is in the best position possible to give our children and young people the best life chances in the future. I would like to welcome Jenny Coles who has been appointed by the DfE to the post of Independent Improvement Board chair.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council

Following the concerns raised by North Northamptonshire Council, the DfE has established a new role to oversee improvement in Children’s Services in Northamptonshire.

The Minister for Children and Families has appointed Jenny Coles MBE to the post of Independent Improvement Board chair, which will report on progress and provide assurance to Government. 

It is pleasing to see that progress has been made but as there’s still work to do. I welcome the new role of an independent improvement board chair to continue oversight of positive change. As such, I welcome Jenny Coles to this role.Cllr Scott Edwards, the council’s Executive member for Children, Families, Education and Skills