The Virtual Staff College

The Virtual Staff College (VSC)

Formally launched in July 1999, the Virtual Staff College acts as the professional development arm of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services. The VSC has been centrally involved in the design, development and delivery of a number of national initiatives including:

• Education and Children’s Services Managers Competence Framework (2006)
• Championing Children: A shared set of skills, knowledge and behaviours for those leading and managing integrated children’s services (2006)
• The National CPD Framework for Leaders and Managers of Children’s Services (2007)
• The National Leadership Qualities Framework for Directors of Children’s Services (2010)
• The DCS Leadership Provision at the National College (2009-2011)

The College designs and organises professional development opportunities for those in principal and senior leadership positions in local authority children’s services, children’s trusts and partnership arrangements and advisers/practitioners working in the leadership, management and delivery of services for children, young people and families throughout the UK.

It provides direct delivery and facilitation of training and development programmes, workshops and action learning sets supported by web based resources and e-learning facilities. All of its leadership and management programmes are rooted in participant co-construction, self-directed, peer supported learning and the principles of adult learning. They are delivered in a highly interactive format and involve a combination of sector expertise, research and the sharing of good practice.

The VSC is supported by a wide range of organisations such as; the Association of Directors of Education in Wales (ADEW), the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES), the Regional Training Unit (RTU) in Northern Ireland, Local Government Improvement and Development (formerly IDeA), the Department for Education, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Scottish Government.

Aims

The College has been established to support the development of leadership and management capacity in local authorities and their Children’s Trust partner organisations and, through this, contribute to the improvement of locality services for children, young people and families. Whilst acting as the CPD arm of ADCS, the College will seek to:

• Develop current and future leaders
• Provide timely and appropriate CPD opportunities for all ADCS members
• Horizon scan and anticipate emerging challenges for local authorities and their CT partners
• Support and lead on new developments to meet these challenges
• Be instrumental in developing the “collective intelligence” of the children’s services community
• Respond to systemic and organisational changes in children’s services