BRADFORD’S beleaguered Children’s Services department is once again looking for a new boss, after its current Director announced he was leaving the Council.

Marc Douglas is the third person to hold the role since the department was judged inadequate by Ofsted in 2018.

It means that Bradford Council is now searching for its fourth Director of Children’s Services in just under three years.

In a statement released by the Council Mr Douglass said it was “the right time for me to look for my next role.”

The department was judged inadequate in October 2018, with inspectors saying some children in the District were left “at risk of serious harm.” An improvement plan was put into place to try and turn the department around.

Michael Jameson - then director of Children’s Services, left the Council shortly after the judgement.

Gladys Rhodes White was then appointed interim strategic director in November 2018 - an appointment that lasted until May 2019 when Mr Douglas, then Director of Children’s Social Care at Doncaster Children’s Services Trust, took on the role permanently.

Mr Douglas told a meeting that it would take “two or three years” to turn the department around from inadequate to good.

Children's Services to take '2 or 3 years' to move from inadequate to good

However, in subsequent visits to Bradford Ofsted has criticised the pace of improvement as being too slow.

Last month the Government appointed a Commissioner to come to Bradford and “ascertain whether the issues raised by Ofsted are more widespread, to identify immediate and ongoing improvements, recommend any additional support to deliver those improvements, and assess the Council’s capacity and capability to improve itself or whether an alternative delivery and governance arrangement should be put in place.”

Steve Walker from Leeds City Council was appointed as commissioner.

Announcing his departure, Mr Douglas said: “I am extremely proud of the improvements that we have made in Children’s Services over the past two and a half years and I am confident that all services will continue on their journey of improvement so that the children and young people of Bradford receive good and outstanding provision.

“Following the challenges of the Covid pandemic I have decided that it is the right time for me to look for my next role and will therefore be leaving Bradford Council.

“I want to wish you all the very best of success in this next phase of your improvement journey and will watch with interest as services continue to improve and ultimately be judged to be good or better.’’

Kersten England, Chief Executive of Bradford Council, said: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mark for the work he has done since he joined the Council in 2019.

“Mark has led children’s services during an unprecedented and challenging time during which the service has delivered a number of improved outcomes for children including making progress in the quality of social care practice.

“In the interim Marium Haque, Deputy Director Education and Learning will be Interim Strategic Director Children’s Services, and we will also be looking to recruit a new Strategic Director of Children’s Services in the longer term.”