The Association of London Directors of Children's Services (ALDCS) is a pan-London body representing all of London's statutory Directors of Children's Services. It provides strategic leadership which promotes and improves the work boroughs do to offer all children and young people the best start in life and opportunities and support to achieve their full potential.
The current Chair of ALDCS is Martin Pratt, Executive Director, Supporting People, at the London Borough of Camden
The key objectives of ALDCS are to:
•Discuss strategic issues affecting local authority Children’s Services in London
•Provide a forum for the sharing of best practice
•Identify opportunities for further collaboration between London borough Children’s Services teams and partners
•Act as a forum to engage with key strategic partners on relevant issues
•Gather and collate data to form a ‘London picture’ of issues relating to Children’s Services
•Coordinate research and policy activity, often in conjunction with London Councils
•Organise London-wide events on specific areas
•Support pan-London networks covering areas of Children’s Services
•Coordinate the Pan-London sector led improvement work for Children’s Services
•Oversee the Adopt London programme (for relevant local authorities)
ALDCS leads policy development and service improvement through:
•The Assistant Directors of Social Care Network
•The Assistant Directors Youth Offending Services Network
•The Heads of School Improvement Network
•The School Places PLanning Officers Network
•The Heads of Early Years Network
•London Adoption Board
•London Grid for Learning
London Councils provides the secretariat to the ALDCS. Please contact Samira Islam (samira.islam@londoncouncils.gov.uk) for more information.
The London Innovation and Improvement Alliance (LIIA) is the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services (ALDCS) sector-led improvement partnership and is hosted by London Councils. Read about the LIIA work programme here.