DCS succession planning

Succession planning – building and maintaining a pipeline of high quality leaders for children’s services – is critical to the success of all the Virtual Staff College’s work with aspiring and serving directors of children’s services (DCSs).

According to research by McKinsey for the College and the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC), half of all serving DCSs today expect to leave their post in the next three years. Action is needed now to develop new talent, or in the very near future children’s services will be deprived of the effective, motivated and inspirational leaders they need and who are essential to improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

Following the transfer of responsibility for the DCS Leadership Provision from the National College to the Virtual Staff College, the VSC will continue to draw on the succession planning resources developed at the National College such as National Succession Planning Framework for Children’s Services.

What is happening locally?

Find out about the regional succession planning network

What is happening nationally?

Discover more about the national provision for serving and aspiring DCSs