Aspirant DCS Programme Details
The Aspirant DCS Programme contributes to children’s services leadership by focusing on those who aspire to the role of DCS or chief officer with responsibility for children’s services. It will support their development as influential leaders who can inspire outstanding service delivery. The aim of the programme is to create a pool of candidates with the necessary desire, knowledge, capability and experience to be considered for the role of DCS or chief officer with responsibility for children’s services.
Participants will spend between 12 to 18 months on the programme, depending on the outcome of the development centre and any likely work or personal constraints. The estimated time commitment over the duration of the programme is anticipated to be a minimum of 28 days.
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Review |
Prospective applicants will need to complete the application and review process with the support of their sponsor. This process will identify and establish whether a potential applicant is committed to becoming a DCS or chief officer with responsibility for children’s services and that their development needs can be met within 12 to 18 months, which is the timeframe of the programme. Those individuals who are deemed through the assessment process to have needs that cannot be met by the programme will receive constructive feedback to support their future development. The application and review process comprises:
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| Development centre and the personal learning plan |
The first stage in the learning journey of successful applicants is attendance at a development centre. This will include a number of exercises and a personality questionnaire. The exercises have been designed specifically to simulate the environment and situations facing a DCS or chief officer with responsibility for children’s services and to measure to what extent applicants demonstrate the leadership attributes described in the National Leadership Qualities Framework. Using all of the available information from the review process and the development centre, participants will work on a one-to-one basis with an independent assessor and will be supported and challenged as they critically reflect on their learning needs. This will, in turn, inform the development of a personal learning plan, which the participant and assessor will collaboratively design. |
| Programme | Participants will be offered a variety of ways to learn during the programme including online content, residential activity, small group work, work-based experiences and action learning sets. This will enable participants to develop a personalised learning journey that reflects their personal learning style, professional and personal circumstances, as well as meeting their bespoke learning and development needs. The guidance provides more details of the programme. |
| End of programme review | This is the last organised event of the programme, though participants may wish to continue some work-based learning activity or continue to meet in self-facilitated action learning sets. The day starts with a talk on the leadership challenges in the public sector and the skills and behaviour that will be required of leaders in the future. Participants will be given some time to reflect on their development on the programme, to identify where they have developed their leadership capability and highlight ongoing development needs. They are then challenged to consider what they see themselves doing in five years’ time and, with the support of their action learning sets, identify what steps they need to take to achieve this vision. The day will end with a talk on the future of children’s services before the Aspirant DCS Programme is formally drawn to a close by the cohort manager and the programme director. |