Children’s services council boss retires

By Press Release Mar 10, 2023

The head of Children’s Services in Hampshire, Steve Crocker, is to retire at the end of this month.

Hampshire County Council has delivered children’s services and education on the Isle of Wight since 2014, after Ofsted judged the IW Council’s services ‘inadequate’ in 2013. It was the first time that such services had been directly managed by another council. The devastating assessment found that the services were failing families and young people across all areas, including the effectiveness of help and protection, the quality of practice and leadership and governance.

The then Conservative administration, led by David Pugh, current chairman of the local Conservative Association, was ordered by the government to enter into the new arrangements with Hampshire Council Council. Since then, the most recent government inspection, in November 2018, found the children’s services function to be good across all areas, a significant achievement. However, there has been no similar transformation of the Island’s education system, which still languishes at or near the bottom of most league tables for both primary and secondary education outcomes.

Mr Crockers was awarded an OBE in 2018 in recognition for services to children in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.

Stuart Ashley, assistant director for children and families at Hampshire County Council, is expected to take over the directorship on an interim basis.

Pictured: Steve Crocker