The landscape for a director of children’s services (DCS) has rarely been more challenging. We’re navigating a complex combination of rising demand and cost pressures, and multiple reforms, including local government reorganisation (LGR), where the timings are not aligned. Until two weeks ago, LGR was pretty much under the radar locally, with the wider public seemingly unaware of the plans. Now, as I write this, the latest round of LGR decisions last month have ignited responses spanning from excitement to frustration and everything in between, including ‘’don’t care’’.