Children’s commissioner leaves county role

The woman put in charge of overseeing improvements at Herefordshire children’s services has left – though her job is not complete, and the circumstances of her departure are unclear.

Children’s commissioner Eleanor Brazil was appointed by the government to the role in late 2022 following the department’s “inadequate” rating by the Ofsted inspectorate.

In a statement to county councillors, the council’s chief executive Paul Walker has thanked Ms Brazil “for her valuable support, guidance and expertise over the past two years”.

He said the children’s commissioner role in the county “will remain in place until the next inspection to oversee and help drive ongoing and sustained positive change”.

It has been filled by Deborah McMillan, who is now listed on her LinkedIn page as “Department for Education children’s social care commissioner” for Herefordshire.

Ms McMillan was previously the council’s “DfE improvement advisor”, following the departure from the role last spring of Gladys Rose White.

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.

But 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.

“However, there does remain a strong ongoing need for a commissioner to remain in place until the next (Ofsted) inspection,” which is likely “within 18 months”, Ms Brazil added.

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

Meanwhile the outcome of an Ofsted inspection in December of the council’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services, which the council has seen a draft of, is due to be published later this month, he added.

The LDRS has attempted to contact Ms Brazil for comment.