The Chief Officer Appointments Committee of County Durham Council met on Friday 22 May 2026 to consider the creation of three new senior roles within an expanded Regional Fostering Hub. The meeting's agenda indicated that the committee was scheduled to discuss the proposed new positions, which are part of a national initiative to improve children's social care services.

Creation of Regional Fostering Hub Senior Posts

The committee was scheduled to discuss the creation of three new senior roles to support the expansion of the Regional Fostering Hub. This expansion is in line with a programme by the Department for Education (DfE) and follows a Cabinet approval on 6 May 2026 for the council to join the North-East Fostering Hub. Durham County Council will act as the host for the regional team and the accountable body for DfE funding for the region, serving as a 'shadow regional care co-operative (RCC)' host until the formal RCC is established.

The three proposed senior posts are:

• RCC Chief Executive: This role will provide executive leadership for the regional arrangements to establish and sustain a North East Regional Care Co-operative. The report pack indicated that the appointment to this specific role would not involve the Chief Officer Appointments Committee, as it is a regional post to be hosted by Durham County Council in the interim.
• RCC Delivery Director: This position will have overall responsibility for the delivery of the requirements set out nationally for Regional Care Co-operatives and the implementation of the North East RCC delivery plan.
• Regional Director Family Based Care: This role will be responsible for the delivery of the requirements for regional end-to-end fostering hubs, as part of a broader strategic regional approach to Family Based Care through the existing Foster with North East (FwNE) initiative.

The report pack noted that the proposed salaries for these roles were agreed by the North- East Association of Directors of Children's Services (NE ADCS) and the CC/FwNE Executive Board. The salary for the RCC Chief Executive was proposed at £158,084 per annum, and for the RCC Delivery Director and Regional Director Family Based Care, it was proposed at £119,532 per annum each. These figures were based on comparable roles in other regions.

The report pack indicated that the committee was recommended to approve the creation of these three senior roles. It also highlighted that the council would initially employ these individuals as the host employer until the RCC comes into existence. The proposal included engaging PENNA, an external recruitment consultancy, to manage the recruitment process. The appointments would be subject to the outcome of the RCC bid, with job advertisements to make this clear. Authority was recommended to be delegated to the Corporate Director of Children and Young People's Services and the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders, to confirm the final salaries for these senior roles.

The background to this proposal outlined that children in care sufficiency is a significant risk and financial pressure across the North-East and nationally. The Independent Review of Children's Social Care in 2022, supported by proposed legislation in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, identified regional working as crucial to addressing these challenges. FwNE was established in 2023 as a National Fostering Pathfinder, and an evaluation recognised the need for expansion to an end-to-end approach to realise the benefits of regional working. The successful outcome of a regional bid for the RCC could bring approximately £1.5 million in additional funding into the region.

The report pack also detailed the qualifications, skills, knowledge, and experience required for each of the proposed roles, emphasising leadership, strategic thinking, and a strong understanding of national children's service policy and legislative reforms. The recruitment process was intended to be conducted fairly in accordance with the council's recruitment policy and procedures. The report pack stated that the fostering hub model is expected to have a positive impact on care-experienced young people by improving placement stability, emotional wellbeing, and the overall quality of care.