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Local authorities have been urged to sidestep traditional routes of promotion and make some "surprise appointments" in new children's services departments.

The plea came from Tony Hunter vice-president of the Association of Directors of Social Services. He added that blame for errors as education is merged with children's social services should be shared, and not just aimed at directors of children's services.

"We are keen to push that everyone is accountable," he told a meeting on child protection at the NHS Confederation conference last week.

Hunter accepted that joint working could be "taxing" for professionals and seen as a "dumbing down of their professional expertise", but stressed that it was about "pooling expertise for the common good".