Leeds recruits three top £125k chiefs as pressure grows to fix SEND services
The jobs are salaried up to £123,000
Three top bosses will lead improvements in services for vulnerable children after being recruited by the council.
The chief officers, salaried at up to £123,000, will join Leeds City Council’s Children and Families department.
The council said the roles were created to help ensure Leeds was a “child-friendly city”, following a review of senior management positions.
A spokesperson said: “The children and families leadership structure has also been streamlined to deliver financial savings that provide opportunity for re-investment into the service.”
The Leeds children and families service was rated “outstanding” for a third time by Ofsted following an inspection last year.
But services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have since been criticised by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission.
Delays in delivering care plans to help children with SEND get through school were highlighted in an inspection report which called for urgent improvements.
SEND provision in Leeds is delivered by the council and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
One of the three new council roles, each with a salary scale of £112,000 to £123,000, will be chief officer for SEND and inclusion.
The job advert said: “You will lead the city’s SEND transformation and improvement programme, maintaining continuous readiness for Ofsted and CQC inspection and ensuring learning from feedback, complaints and inspection is translated into sustainable improvement.”
The other two chief officer roles will cover family help and social work and commissioning and governance respectively.
The council spokesperson said: “The posts have closed and shortlisting will take place later this month, with final interviews due to take place in July 2026.”