Cumbria County Council’s Corporate Director of Children’s Services, Moira Swann, has announced her intention to leave the authority.

Mrs Swann will leave in the summer once her successor is found and a restructure of her management team has been completed.

She said this afternoon: “This has been an agonising decision. I have enjoyed every minute of my time in Cumbria. It has been a fantastic opportunity and wonderful journey. I have made some great friends and met many gifted and inspirational people along the way.

“But after 30 years of public service I want to do something different. I am looking forward to working more flexibly and finding the freedom to do some of those things I always wanted to do, but never quite had the time. I don’t plan to put my feet up. I think I still have lots to offer.

“One of our greatest achievements in Cumbria has been the way that schools, the council and many other agencies work together in the best interest of children and young people. I am very proud of what we have achieved together.

“I have no doubt that our approach to partnership working is as strong, if not better, than anywhere else in the country. As a result young people in Cumbria are safe, and have the best possible opportunities to enjoy and achieve.

“I have particularly enjoyed the time I have spent meeting young people and the staff who work with children and young across the county. Cumbria is blessed with talent and potential and can look forward to a bright future. I will miss it enormously.”

Duncan Fairbairn, the council’s cabinet member responsible for schools and learning, said: “Moira has led the council through a period of enormous change which saw children’s social care and education brought together in one directorate designed to make sure that children and young people are properly protected and
have the best possible start in life.

“She can be very proud of what she has achieved and there is no doubt that prospects for our youngsters are immeasurably better because of all she has done.”

Anne Burns, cabinet member responsible for children’s social care, added: “At a time when child protection has been under intense public scrutiny, it has been incredibly reassuring to know that in Cumbria our Children’s Services have been led by such a talented and committed professional.

“When Moira came to Cumbria our social services were in special measures. The difference between then and now is immense.”

Jill Stannard, Cumbria County Council Chief Executive, said: “Moira is an exceptional talent and she has become a good friend to me and the rest of the management team. We will all be terribly sorry to see her go but we understand why she wants a change after four incredibly demanding years. She will be a hard act to follow but the search for her successor will get underway as soon as possible."

Mrs Swann has been in Cumbria for just over four years, taking up her current post in late 2005.
She moved to Cumbria from Hertfordshire, where she was Deputy Director of Children’s Services.

Hertfordshire was the first Local Authority in England to integrate their children’s services in 2001. It provided a great learning opportunity for moving to Cumbria to lead the Every Child Matters agenda.

Prior to working in Hertfordshire Moira worked in Gloucestershire, Hampshire and West Yorkshire.

She started her career in teaching and became involved with children in trouble or experiencing difficulties, for example, Youth Offending and excluded children as well as Children’s Social Care.

She then retrained in social work and has spent all her career working with and on behalf of children, which included extensive work in multi-agency settings and health.

She also has significant experience in planning and leading large complex multi-disciplinary services, and is currently chair of the North West Regional Director of Children’s Service Group.

During her tenure in Cumbria she has been responsible for driving forward numerous projects and initiatives to improve the life chances of every young person in the county, including:

*Overseeing the successful transition of bringing together children’s social care and education into one directorate – Children’s Services.

*An investment of  £100 million in secondary education in Barrow, Carlisle and Egremont with the establishment of state-of-the-art academies.

*Leading the council’s bid for £180 million to transform education in west Cumbria through the government’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

* A year-on-year increase in GCSE results.

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