Guidance has been produced for directors on how to lead children's services at a time of savage budget cuts and staff redundancies.

The report*, published today by the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services, includes a chapter on leading in a time of "shock", e.g. policy and funding changes or a high-profile child protection case.

It also looks at the challenges facing directors of children's services in the short and long term, including the need to be austerity ready on 1 April and future mergers of children's and adult services.

Visit www.communitycare.co.uk/workforce tomorrow to read our latest feature on leadership in social care.

*Resourceful leadership: how directors of children's services improve outcomes for children

Read the complete post at http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/social-work-blog/2011/02/how-to-lead-childrens-services.html