The Appointment Committee of Cardiff Council met on Wednesday 11 March 2026 to discuss the appointment of a new Director of Children's Services. The meeting's agenda and recruitment pack were made public, outlining the process and requirements for the role.

Appointment of Director of Children's Services

The primary focus of the meeting was the interview and selection process for the Director of Children's Services. The recruitment pack details the significant responsibilities associated with this role, which carries a salary of £147,524 per annum. The Director of Children's Services is tasked with providing strategic leadership and direction for services supporting vulnerable children and families in Cardiff. This includes ensuring the effective and efficient implementation of the Council's Corporate Plan and the administration's Stronger, Fairer, Greener commitments.

Key accountabilities for the role include translating the Council's vision into effective strategies for Children's Services, providing high-quality advice to Cabinet Members and Councillors, and developing strategic partnerships. The Director will also be responsible for promoting safeguarding policies, optimising resource use through collaborations, and assessing the strategic impact of shifting service demands within a diverse urban context and financial pressures. A crucial aspect of the role involves leading a management team to ensure significantly improved outcomes for service users and maintaining Cardiff's commitment to being a child-friendly city.

The position requires the post-holder to be a qualified and experienced social worker with extensive management and leadership experience. The recruitment pack outlines several areas of responsibility, including Assessment and Care Planning, Reviewing Hubs, the Education Safeguarding Team, Commissioning Teams, Youth Justice Services, Early Help Services, and the management of 11 council-run residential units.

The recruitment process also involved assessing candidates against a set of behavioural competencies, as detailed in the Behavioural Competency Framework. Essential competencies for the written application included Putting Our Customers First, Getting Things Done, Taking Personal Responsibility, Seeking to Understand Others, Leading Change, Initiating Change and Improvement, Partnering and Corporate Working, Equality & Diversity, and Optimising Resources.

The terms and conditions for the appointment were also outlined, including it being a permanent position under the Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Officers of Local Authorities. The role is politically restricted, in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The recruitment pack also detailed provisions for annual leave, hours of work, sick pay, pension, car loan schemes, and notice periods.

The meeting was scheduled to conclude the process for the appointment, with the information included in the report pack being for the attendees' consideration.