At the start of this month I became president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS). As an association we have many priorities going forward. I've expanded on two of these below and on what will be the golden thread throughout my presidency and beyond.

First, the golden thread. We need a country that works for children. Policy decisions made within Whitehall can be divorced from the reality of their consequences on our communities, particularly the most vulnerable. The Government's wide-ranging welfare reforms are a prime example of this.