By Helen Fergusson, Strategic Director of Children's Social Care and Lifelong Learning at Gateshead Council There is nothing like a Joint Targeted Area Inspection to bring the importance of the relationships we have as partners within our local areas into very sharp focus! My reflections following the recent inspection in Gateshead, focused on Child Sexual Abuse in the Family Environment …
The Special Power of Kinship
by Rachel Farnham, Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Durham County Council This month we have all celebrated Foster Care Fortnight with lots of celebrations across County Durham, the North East and the UK, but as I was scrolling through social media last bank holiday weekend, I came across the BBC’s Caring Matters week (23 to 30 May 2026) – a week of special programmes …
Six months in: keeping children at the centre
By Annabel Bates, Corporate Director of Children's Services Middlesbrough Council The 13 April marked my six-month anniversary as a DCS, as a member of the Middlesbrough team and as a new arrival in the North East. The past six months have been a whirlwind of everything I was expecting, a fair few surprises and a lot of learning. There is much for us to do in Middlesbrough, as there is …
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Working together to build an inclusive education system
by Tony Murphy, Assistant Director Education and Inclusion, Darlington Borough Council In Darlington our SEND strategy was extensively co-produced with families and young people. Some of the key messages from families were the importance of feeling included, respected, valued and safe at school and a sense of belonging and involvement in the town they live in. Through the implementation of …
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A Fortnight to Remember: Celebrating our Children’s Home Workforce Across the North East
Cath McEvoy-Carr, Director for Children, Education and Skills at Newcastle City Council, writes... Although two months have passed since the North East Children’s Homes fortnight, it is still a topic of conversation across many of our homes in the region. As you may be aware, the idea for this campaign came from Ellie, a care experienced young person in our region who wanted to celebrate the …
Be the kind of parent you would want for your own child
This month we’ve handed over our blog to our Regional Children in Care Council, a group of care experienced young people who want to make their voices heard so they can make a difference for all children and young people in care across our region. Here, they reflect on their recent conference and remind us what it means to be a corporate parent. At the end of July, we held our sixth annual …
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