DCS Leadership Programme
The DCS Leadership Programme is a programme for those at the forefront of children’s services.
The programme aims to provide the very best leadership development and contextualised learning, leading to effective personal and organisational change for directors of children’s services (DCSs). The Virtual Staff College took over the running of this programme on the 1st November 2011 from The National College for School Leadership. This programme is one element of a range of opportunities in leadership development for children’s services provided by the Virtual Staff College on behalf of Children’s Improvement Board and its Leadership Forum.
Key facts
The DCS Leadership Programme:
- recognises the complex challenges and accountability of the DCS role and the wide range of backgrounds, skills and experience that people bring to the role
- covers the many different aspects of leadership required, including leadership of safeguarding and social care, commissioning, leading in political and corporate environments, integrated and partnership working, and raising standards of education
- places significant emphasis on team leadership – supporting the development of high performing teams in local authorities and children’s trusts
Duration
12 months
Delivery method
The programme is underpinned by a needs assessment and is personalised to address a range of aspects of the role of the DCS. A range of delivery methods include; executive coaching, peer support, action learning sets, experiential learning and the use of online resources.
Who can register?
The programme is open to all serving DCSs. It is assumed that all successful applicants will start and complete the programme as serving DCSs.
Next registration round
The DCS Leadership Programme is now running its fifth cohort and the majority of serving DCSs have participated in the programme or had the opportunity to do so.
In order to continue to support DCSs as they come into post and retain targeted support for programme graduates and other longer serving DCSs, the Virtual Staff College is currently developing a new leadership development programme. This is planned to be launched in April 2012 and further information about this will be sent to DCSs in the early part of 2012.