THINK TEAM!

I moved on to our fourth staff briefing session at the Blenheim Centre...

I wanted to discuss with interested colleagues the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead as we all work to build better children's services here in Leeds. I wanted colleagues to understand why the review was necessary, the big challenges we still face, the opportunities to work in a more joined up and integrated way and most importantly to recognise and celebrate what we have achieved together over the last nine years; the outstanding initiatives, the extraordinary buildings and the outcomes we have achieved... all of which have been recognised by awards, feedback and celebrations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

It was great to meet with colleagues from the Education Psychology Team, the Sensory Services Team, the Deaf and Hearing Impaired Team, the Early Years Support Team, the Parent Partnership Service, the Safeguarding, Looked After and Vulnerable Children's Service, the SEN Statutory Assessment and Provision Service as well as some colleagues who had managed to pop in to the session. We have achieved something quite remarkable because of these talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful colleagues, the culture we have created and because of the leadership we all provide which makes Education Leeds such a special organisation to work in.

Whatever we do we must all constantly celebrate our achievements, challenge the critics, the moaners and the negative and destructive voices and most importantly we must look after each other through this period of opportunity, uncertainty and change and THINK TEAM!
Chris