Walsall children's services boss to leave post

The boss of children's services at Walsall Council is to step down after a damning report branded the authority's care of vulnerable children inadequate.

Pauline Pilkington, executive director of children's services, will leave her position after the first phase of an improvement plan is complete and the council has found a successor.

Council bosses are now drawing up an action plan to address concerns by Ofsted inspectors who claimed children were being left "at potential risk of harm".

A report, compiled after a two-week inspection in June, condemned the overall effectiveness of the authority's safeguarding services and its capacity for improvement. An independent children's improvement board will be set up to oversee the service during the next few weeks, which will report directly to the Government.

Councillor Rachel Andrew, education and children's chief, said: "It will be important to ensure that we have the right people in the right place to drive forward our improvement plan.

"The executive director of children's services has decided to leave the authority once the first phase of the improvement plan is over and the council has identified a successor."

Practices and management systems were criticised as the report said they did not "consistently ensure that the most vulnerable children in Walsall are effectively safeguarded or protected".

Social work practice was described as "too variable", leading to children and young people receiving a "poor service".

Councillor Andrew said an action plan was being drawn to help raise standards. She added: "We are currently in the process of setting up a children's improvement board."

Labour leader Councillor Tim Oliver welcomed the set-up of an independent board, claiming there should be "some responsibility for the state of affairs".