Children's services commissioner steps down

The woman put in charge of overseeing improvements at Herefordshire children's services has left her role.

Children's commissioner Eleanor Brazil was appointed by the government to the role in 2022 after the department was rated inadequate by Ofsted.

In a statement to councillors, Herefordshire Council's chief executive Paul Walker thanked Ms Brazil "for her valuable support, guidance and expertise over the past two years".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has approached Ms Brazil for comment.

Mr Walker said the children's commissioner role in Herefordshire "will remain in place until the next inspection to oversee and help drive ongoing and sustained positive change".

Ms Brazil's last report for the council, published in December, concluded there had been "some positive progress from a very low base, although too little to make the degree of change needed" at the department.

She felt there was now "positive commitment within the political and corporate leadership to delivering better outcomes for children and young people", and as such, there was no longer a need for both commissioner and improvement advisor roles.

Commenting on her report, Mr Walker said: "We acknowledge there is much more to do, however this is a positive sign that we are now making the progress needed."

A further Ofsted report on the council's special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services is due to be published this month after an inspection in December.

A Herefordshire Council spokeswoman said: "In her most recent review, Eleanor Brazil made a recommendation to the Department for Education (DfE) that Herefordshire children's services no longer requires the direction of a DfE advisor in addition to a commissioner.

"Herefordshire's children's services improvement programme is now overseen by the DfE-appointed commissioner, Deborah McMillan, who has replaced Ms Brazil."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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