Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board picks new chair

Jane Held has worked in social care for more than 30 years

A board which co-ordinates how agencies work together to protect children and young people in Birmingham has appointed a new independent chair.

The Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) was set up following Lord Laming's inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie in 2000.

Jane Held, who has worked in social care for more than 30 years, has been appointed to the post.

Eleanor Brazil had been filling the role during the search process.

Ms Brazil is the strategic director of Birmingham City Council's Children, Young People and Families department.

The last independent chair was Hilary Thompson who left the post at the end of July.

The board chooses a new chair about every 18 months.

Ms Held said: "I am delighted to take up this challenging new role.

"I am passionate about improving children's lives, particularly those children who are the most vulnerable in Birmingham."

The last Ofsted report in 2010 criticised BSCB for being "pre-occupied" by 20 serious case reviews which had been undertaken over the past four years.

Other areas inspectors highlighted were "serious deficiencies" in management and practice as well as the sharing and availability of information across the various partnerships.

But inspectors said arrangements for planning, case review and recording were adequate overall and there were "good examples" of multi-agency front-line working.