This means Reading Borough Council have now officially retaken control of children’s services. This reform comes in the wake of the policies of the since-dismantled Body for Families in Crisis (BFfC). We shared the news about this big change over the summer. It’s an exciting key step toward the new approach we’ll take to delivering services for children across the region.
The Chair of the council, Liz Terry, described the commitment of BFfC to children as “unquestionable”. Increasingly, the council’s eye is toward efficiency in operations and service delivery for its community. Internal council corporate and HR policies will apply. This will, in turn, allow for a much greater level of service integration.
The council went through multiple rounds of consultations with staff about this ongoing transition. During that time—from June 5 through July 7—employees were able to share their thoughts and feelings about the relocation plans. ANTSOF engagement website This engagement is a great example of the council’s dedication to transparent, staff directed decision-making.
In her keynote address, Liz Terry, Editor of the International journal Health & Place, focused on the benefits of this reorganization.
“The council now not only has better direct control over children’s services but an additional layer of governance has been removed, helping to further integrate the services with other council responsibilities,” – Liz Terry
This transition comes after a period in which BFfC managed children’s services for seven years, a time marked by numerous successes according to various stakeholders. Many feel that getting control back to the council is a key move for further progress.
South of England REP representative Nathan Briant welcomed the previous victories. He highlighted the team’s focus on an ongoing commitment to delivering service better.
“While there have been a significant number of successes over the past seven years across children’s services, we are committed to continuing the improvement journey to ensure that all Reading’s children get the best possible start in life.” – source not explicitly mentioned
The council hopes this new structure will better serve to reinforce the foundation for meeting the needs of children and families in their community. They are hopeful it will result in increased alignment and impact.
