NEW lead for children’s services across Wiltshire believes children services are key to preventing people from being reliant on adult social care in the future.

Speaking to the Children’s Select Committee for the first time since taking on the cabinet role at the local authority, Cllr Pauline Church said:

She said: “My vision is to ensure the best outcomes for children across Wiltshire, not only their wellbeing and educational outcomes but I just want that to be spread a bit wider.

“I think there’s a lot of focus on academic attainment and I think we can do a lot generalising out to apprenticeships and making education alot more wider for children and society so they are generally a lot more happier human beings.

“I feel children services is the prevention agenda for adult social care so the work we do here is really important.

“It’s a real pleasure to be doing this. Laura is a really tough act to follow she has done an amazing job and all credit goes to Laura for the work she has done for children across Wiltshire.”

Cllr Church takes over from Cllr Laura Mayes who had been a key part of the council’s Families and Children Transformation (FACT) of children’s services.

She has spent a year as safeguarding portfolio holder in the past, and says she is keen to immerse herself in her new position.

Ofsted is due to publish its report on Wiltshire Council’s children’s department on Monday following a three week inspeciton ealrier this year.