The government's less prescriptive approach to the director of adult social services role - compared with the children's equivalent - has been praised by social care leaders.

John Dixon, joint chair of the Association of Directors of Social Services' disabilities committee, said it backed the government's decision to issue non-statutory draft guidance on the role, alongside its adult green paper last week.

He said: "We have generally campaigned, and feel it's been successful, in not having too much prescription in the developments around adults and the director role within it. There are ways in which the children's role is constrained because of the statutory duties."

Under the Children Act 2004, directors of children's services have a statutory responsibility for children's social services and education.

While directors of adult social services are also expected to have wider duties than just social care, such as adult learning and housing, the government has not made this compulsory.

But Dixon warned that councils would have to ensure that children's and adult services directors had equal status, following Hampshire Council's recent decision to advertise its children's post at £130,000 a year, £20,000 more than the adult equivalent.

He added: "I think [Hampshire's decision is] a misunderstanding of the breadth of the role and its importance to local authorities."