ADCS

ADCS Associate members now have a new network, launched at an initial meeting at the annual conference in Manchester, on 8th July 2011.

There are a growing number of associate members, who have held a senior post within local authority children’s services, or who are senior members within related organisations.

Following approval of the proposal to develop an Associates Network at the ADCS Board of Directors on 6th July, associate membership, for new members, with effect from 1 April 2012 is clarified as being open to senior officers (from Directors to third tier managers) who have worked within local authority children’s services, and who do not qualify for ordinary membership of the Association. Existing Associate Members will be protected.

Associate members pay an annual subscription to ADCS, (currently £180 inc. VAT), which entitles them to:

• Membership of the Associates Network
• The weekly ADCS bulletin and access to the members’ only aspect of the website for documents and minutes, etc
• Participation on Policy Committees, subject to a balance in favour of serving Directors and officers
• Attendance at regional meetings and events which are open to all ADCS members in that region
• Invitations to the non-Director only sessions of the annual ADCS conference in July
• The opportunity to link with the Virtual Staff College as an associate.

Associates have a range of skills and interests to contribute to the development of children’s services, and to the overall aim of ADCS to improve outcomes for children and young people.

A number of Associate members will still be actively working in a related field. A clear distinction is drawn between the voluntary contribution of Associates to the development of ADCS and any commercial, financial or other interests they may have as consultants, directors of companies or shareholders, or arising from the work done for other organisations, including any work undertaken in a regulatory or improvement capacity.

The aim of the Associates Network is to:

• Bring extra capacity to help ADCS and its policy committees develop and respond to policy, consultation and research projects
• To generally assist in the development of ADCS and its overall aims to improve outcomes for children and young people
• To keep Associate members up to date with policy and service issues
• To support Associate members as they move into a new career phase
• To provide a network which can be called on for support by DCS and local authorities, as required.

Following an election process in autumn 2011, the Network's governance is as follows:

Chair: Rosalind Turner (former MD Children, Families and Education for Kent and DCS Suffolk)

Vice Chair: Carey Bennet (former DCS in Essex)

Secretary: Deborah Absalom (former DCS in Bexley)

The Associates Network is keen to hear more from members about how they would like the Network to develop, and encourages new applications for associate membership from those who have left local authority children’s services.

For further information about the ADCS Associates Network or to contact one or all of the acting officers, please e-mail: associates@adcs.org.uk

Applications for Associate membership are available on request