Bury Council’s executive director of children’s services, Eleni Ioannides, will retire on April 1 2011 after more than eight years working for the authority.

Eleni was appointed in 2002 as Director of Social Services, Health and Housing and was subsequently made Executive Director of Children’s Services in 2005. Eleni has also held roles in the wider social care and children’s services sector including elected Director of ADCS (Association of Directors of Children’s Services), vice chair of the Workforce Policy Committee, chair of the Greater Manchester Group of Directors, co-chair of the North West Social Work Development Board, and chair of the National Virtual Staff College. Eleni will be 55 years old when she retires.

Eleni was Bury’s first Executive Director of Children’s Services, a post required by the government to create a more joined-up approach to all important matters affecting children and young people. The new Children’s Services Department was created in 2005, and since that time there has been continuous improvement in education attainment – this year’s GCSE results were the best ever in Bury, with 79.7% of local students gaining five or more GCSEs at A*-C grade, up 4.7% from last year. This compares to the national average of 74.8%.  The joined up approach has also helped to achieve major reductions in the number of first time youth offenders and great improvements in the attainments of looked after young people.

Children’s Services staff also received national acclaim in 2009 when the Holding Families Project received a Municipal Journal award for Best Achievement in Children’s Services. The award recognised the work done in partnership with the voluntary sector and Health colleagues to address the issues caused by parents who misuse substances regularly.

Eleni will leave Bury at the end of the financial year and a management restructure will ensure that key issues such as safeguarding children continue to be addressed. A range of options for the future management of Children’s Services will also be assessed in the medium term. 

Eleni Ioannides said: “It has been a great honour and pleasure to work at Bury Council for the past eight years.  In particular the privilege of setting up the Children’s Services Department and working with such a range of dedicated and skilled staff and partners has certainly been a career high.  I am confident that I leave the department in the capable hands of a superb management team.  I hope I can continue to be of use to the sector, and will immediately be undertaking a short term project opportunity with the Department for Education.”

Councillor Robert Caserta, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Eleni’s contribution to the council has allowed us to deliver some significant improvements to ensure that children and young people from Bury have positive experiences and opportunities.

“I want to reassure members of the local community that plans have been put in place to make sure key priorities continue to be addressed and that the vital work that staff in Children’s Services do will continue.

“I wish Eleni well for the future, and thank her on behalf of the council for the work she has done to support all children in the borough, including some of the most vulnerable.”

For further information please contact Peter Doherty or Ellie Langton in the Council Press Office on 0161 253 6096 or 5394. Alternatively please email communications@bury.gov.uk