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Board of Directors

President
rachael wardell
Rachael Wardell

Executive Director of Children, Families and Lifelong Learning


Surrey County Council
Find out more
Rachael has been the Executive Director for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning (DCS) for Surrey County Council, since December 2020 and before that held DCS roles in two other Councils, twin-hatting as a DASS between 2013 and 2018. Rachael has been actively involved in ADCS since joining the Workforce Policy Committee (WPC) as an Assistant Director in 2009. Before becoming Vice President in 2024 she chaired the WPC for eight years and was a member of the ADCS Council of Reference.Over this period she has also been at various times a Board Member / Trustee of The Staff College, Skills for Care and Become (the charity for children in care and young care leavers). She is currently a member of an Integrated Care Board. Rachael’s background in children’s services began in Early Years inspection and regulation and one of her happy places will always be a daycare setting or a reception classroom. Rachael became ADCS President on 1 April 2025
Vice President
Ann Graham
Ann Graham

Director of Children's Services


Haringey Council
Find out more
Biog to follow
Immediate Past President
Andy Smith
Andy Smith

Strategic Director of People


Derby City Council
Find out more
Andy works in Derby as the Strategic Director for People Services which encompasses the role of Director of Children’s Services (DCS) and Director of Adult Social Services (DASS), a role he’s held since 2016, although he was the DCS from 2015. Andy is a qualified social worker and prior to moving to Derby in 2014 as the Director for Early Help and Children’s Safeguarding, worked in Leicester in a variety of roles for nearly 20 years. Between 2010-2017 Andy also worked as a local authority associate inspector with Ofsted which provided him with learning and experience on the previous SLAC and SIF frameworks. As a former child in care who was adopted by his foster carers when aged 10, Andy always knew that he wanted to be a social worker from an early age, and has always tried to use his previous lived and positive experiences of the care system and of social workers throughout his career. Andy was previously chair of the ADCS Standards, Performance and Inspection Committee for two years prior to becoming Vice President of the association in April 2023. Andy was ADCS President 2024/25.
Honorary Secretary
JaneMoore_HonSec
Jane Moore

Director, Children and Family Services


Leicestershire County Council
Honorary Treasurer
Tim Aldridge
Tim Aldridge

Executive Director of Children and Learning


Camden Council
Elected Director
Harmesh Bhogal
Harmesh Bhogal

Director of Children’s Services


Bedford Borough Council
Elected Director
Sukriti Sen
Sukriti Sen

Director of Children and Education Services


Coventry City Council
Elected Director
SuanneLim_ED
Suanne Lim

Director of Early Help & Children’s Social Care


Derby City Council
Elected Director
Diane_Benjamin
Diane Benjamin

Director of Children’s Social Care


Hackney Council

Board of Directors

The ADCS Ltd Board of Directors comprises the following positions:


  • President
  • Vice President
  • Immediate Past President
  • Honorary Secretary
  • Honorary Treasurer
  • 4 Elected Directors

All posts are elected by Ordinary Members of the Association. Any Ordinary member may hold office as an Elected Director and need not be a DCS.

Council of Reference

The Council of Reference of ADCS comprises:


  • Board of Directors
  • Policy Committee Chairs
  • Regional chairs and representatives and the Chair of the Associates Network.

Contact Information

  • Contacts
  • Board of Directors
  • Council of Reference
  • Directors of Children's Services
  • Out of Area Placements of Children in Care England
  • Out of Area Placements of Children in Care Wales
Contact us

The Association of Directors

of Children’s Services Ltd

Bloc

17 Marble Street

Manchester

M2 3AW

 

+ 0161 513 4299

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