News

The Association of Directors of Social Services is calling for a rethink of the way children's services are commissioned.

In a report due to be published at the end of the month, the ADSS will raise the possibility of developing a strategic organisation responsible for commissioning all child care services, including education and youth services as well as social services.

This could be achieved through the development of children and young people's strategic partnerships, and could involve the use of pooled budgets.

Tomorrow's Children, which is being produced by the ADSS children and families committee in consultation with the Department of Health and the voluntary sector, looks at best practice, short-comings, ways of uniting services and staff, and desired outcomes.

Former committee chairperson Rob Hutchinson said: "If people are going to get a decent choice about what they need, we have to think about the system as a system. It's no good just to think I'm in education so my job is SATs."

It also calls for a review of the recruitment, training and morale of workers in child care services, and a reduction in the volume and weight of work that social workers carry.

Hutchinson said the report offered some options for providing better services for the future and was recommended reading for all social care staff, managers and students.