New chief for kids’ service
Sunderland City Council has announced that Jill Colbert is the new chief executive of Together for Children.
She joins the council from Trafford Council, where she is currently CorporateDirectorforChildren, Families and Wellbeing.
She started her career at Birmingham Council, working with children and young people in youth justice services, then moved to Birmingham Community Health Trust and to The Children’s Society.
She subsequently worked for Knowsley and Trafford Councils in the North West in a series of managerial roles, commisresponsible sioning and leading children’s services and since 2016 has held the post of Corporate Director (Children Families and Wellbeing) at Trafford Council.
In her new role, Jill will lead Together for Children, the company which was launched last April to deliver children’s services in Sunderland on behalf of the city council.
She will also take on the statutory role of Director of Children’s Services for the council.
Together for Children is for delivering children’s social care, early help, education and fostering and adoption, as well as the infrastructure needed to run fully integrated children’s services.
Irene Lucas CBE, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, said of Jill’s appointment: “I’m delighted Jill is joining us.
“She has an excellent track record in this area of work and I’m very much looking forward to working with her as we continue to steer forward the high quality services that our children and young people need to live safe, happy, healthy and successful lives.”