Stockport Council appointed to help improve Tameside's failing children's services

Neighbouring Stockport Council has been chosen as Tameside's 'strategic partner' charged with pulling the borough's failing children's services away from the brink.

The decision was made following a report by the Children's Commissioner who discovered a 'toxic and bullying' culture at the heart of the department which was rated 'inadequate' by Ofsted.

Now it has been announced Stockport Council will be working with Tameside for 400 days in a bid to turn around children's services.

New Tameside Council leader Eleanor Wills described the appointment of Stockport as 'good news' and said it would help Tameside further its 'improvement journey'.

The latest Ofsted report rated Stockport's children's services as 'good'.

Last week Jill Colbert OBE was been named as the new permanent director of children’s services (DCS) for Tameside council having previously led Sunderland children’s services from ‘inadequate’ to ‘outstanding’.

She has the task of turning around the fortunes of the department that the council has struggled to get right for more than a decade. Ms Colbert was previously in charge of Trafford council’s adult and children’s services, now she’s returning to Greater Manchester after six years in Sunderland.

She said: “I’m delighted to be appointed to the role in Tameside at such an exciting time in the council’s improvement journey. I know there is a huge collective will to do better for children and families and that I’m joining at a time when that commitment has never been stronger. 

“I’m really excited to have been chosen to be part of the team and to represent the council’s dedication to do better and I can’t wait to start in post.”

She will join Tameside early in the new year, with interim DCS Dr Catherine Driscoll continuing in her role and leading on the improvement action plan until then.

The council hopes the permanent appointment brings further stability to the service identified as a key starting point by Ofsted and the Children’s Commissioner Andy Couldrick.