Local authorities should take a greater role in shaping children's services because of Whitehall job cuts, according to the government's most senior children's civil servant.

David Normington, permanent secretary at the Department for Education and Skills, said leadership of the change agenda outlined in the Children Bill had to be devolved from the centre, and was irreversible because of the job cuts in his department. It was announced recently that the DfES was losing 31 per cent of its workforce, or 1,460 jobs.

"There have been significant numbers of reductions in [our] children and schools departments which will mean we won't be able to continue with some of the centrally directed initiatives," he said.

Normington urged social services directors to "please not miss this opportunity", and went on to attack past failures of local government. "Some opportunities that have been missed have been a disgrace.

"We will invest time, effort and resources in the leadership and workforce so there is a front line capable of making the most of devolved capability."

A children's workforce unit will be created in the DfES to ensure local services can cope with their new devolved responsibilities.