Calderdale Council has welcomed a new member to its senior leadership team.
Esther Beresford has taken up the role of Assistant Director for Early Intervention and Safeguarding in the Council’s Children and Young People’s Services department.
This comes as Di Drury retires after three years in the role.
Esther will support the Council’s ambition for children to be happy, healthy, safe and successful, with a leading role in children’s social care, protection and safeguarding.
Cllr Adam Wilkinson, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, said:
“The work that we do in Children and Young People’s Services is complex and challenging, and life-changing for young people.
“Esther comes to the Council with significant knowledge and experience and a strong drive to give children the best start in life. I know she will be a valuable addition to our leadership team, building on Di Drury’s excellent work and upholding the Council’s ambition to reduce inequalities in Calderdale and give all young people the chance to reach their potential.
“One of the most important things we do as a Council is to safeguard children at risk, give stability and support to those in our care, and help young people in their journey out of care, into adulthood and towards opportunities that inspire them to be their true selves in our diverse communities. I look forward to working with Esther to take this work forward, and I wish Di all the best in her retirement.”
Esther’s responsibilities include:
- Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
- Leading the delivery of early help services with schools and partner organisations.
- Managing multi-agency assessments to meet the needs of the children and young people who are most at risk.
- Supporting the whole-Council approach to ‘corporate parenting’, where looking out for children and young people in its care is part of everyone’s role.
- Ensuring children’s social care services are delivered to a high standard by overseeing quality assurance and performance management.
- Helping to maintain and improve the Council’s ‘Good’ Ofsted rating for Children and Young People’s Services.
Esther has joined the local authority from Wakefield Council, where she worked since 2018 as a Head of Service for children’s safeguarding and children in care.
In that role, Esther led on redesigning the children in care service, making sure there were enough carers for children and driving improved outcomes for children in Wakefield.
Starting life in London, Esther’s lifelong links with Yorkshire resulted in her going to university in Leeds in 1997, before beginning her social work career in 2005. Esther has worked in several different local authorities and has a wide range of experience in child protection, early help, exploitation, looked after children, fostering and youth justice, including having previously worked in a Young Offender Institution.
In her spare time, Esther loves to walk her two dogs, Bob and Coco while listening to a good podcast, as well as going to the gym and is a keen swimmer.
Esther said:
“I am so proud and grateful to have been given this opportunity to be the Assistant Director of Early Intervention and Safeguarding in Calderdale. Over the years, I have heard such wonderful things about the practice and culture in Calderdale, including firsthand from colleagues who have worked here.
“In the short time I have been here, I have witnessed firsthand, the hard work, dedication and kindness of colleagues, staff and partners. I am looking forward to our next challenge, of developing our services with our key stakeholders in line with proposed Government reforms and ensuring that children and families continue to receive the very best services and support, at the right time.”