VUCA contexts in children’s centres demands systems leadership

This paper outlines the VUCA context experienced in children's centres, and the steps that leaders thought that they could take to manage them within a system leadership model. Heads of children’s centres have a highly demanding role. Whilst the core purpose of children’s centres is expressed simply as: child development and school readiness, parenting aspirations and parenting skills, and child and family health and life chances (Sure Start, 2014), it belies a vast array of activities to undertake and stakeholders to manage. Indeed, it has been said that: “It is important to recognise that children’s centre staff, and particularly leaders, are doing a difficult and complicated job which often requires a great deal of professional skill” (Policy Exchange, 2013). In addition to this, children’s centres serve some of the most disadvantaged children and families in the country and are key to early help initiatives working with social care professionals at many levels to keep children safe.