Social work background for child board chief

Nick Frost replaces Kath Tunstall, Bradford Council's strategic director of services to children and young people, as chair of the board.

Mr Frost has a social work background with children, childhood and families and has worked in the Faculty of Health at Leeds Metropolitan University for the last three years in teaching, research and consultancy.

His research in child welfare and professional learning has been published widely.

Mr Frost said: "I am delighted to take up this exciting and challenging post. I bring with me experience of working with children, chairing a wide range of organisations and researching child welfare-related issues.

"I am keen to upkeep and develop the high standards of safeguarding work that have been developed in Bradford."

Mr Frost is a registered social worker and before taking up an academic career he worked in local authorities for 15 years.

The Bradford Safeguarding Children Board was set up in March 2006 as a requirement of the 2004 Children Act.

Its role is to work to protect children and young people from abuse and neglect, stay safe and have a successful passage into their adult lives.

Its work includes providing good practice training for other agencies. It also undertakes serious case reviews which examine where lessons can be learnt after cases of abuse or neglect which have resulted in the death or serious injury of a child.

Council members of the board include representatives of social care, education, early years, youth service and the youth offending team.

Ms Tunstall said: "Safeguarding children must be the highest priority for everyone in the district. I am very proud of the partnership work – it is well-embedded in Bradford."

She now looked forward to the different perspective that Mr Frost would bring to the role to allow services to continually improve.