Aberdeen’s head of social care departs for new role in ROI

Aberdeen City Council’s Director for Social Care and Wellbeing, Fred McBride, has taken up a new post in the Republic of Ireland.

Mr McBride is set to become Chief Operations Officer with a new organisation created by the Republic’s government, the Children and Family Support Agency.

Mr McBride, who joined Aberdeen City Council in 2009, said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Aberdeen and have had the honour and the privilege of working with a great team, delivering very high quality social care services to the people of the city.

“I am nonetheless looking forward to taking up this exciting new challenge in a new country with a new organisation delivering integrated children’s and family services on a national basis.”

City Council Chief Executive Valerie Watts said: “Fred has played a huge role in transforming our social care services. He joined the City Council at a difficult time, following inspection reports which were critical of some areas of performance – but he showed the leadership needed to improve services quickly and significantly.

“Fred has been a valued member of the senior management team at Aberdeen City Council for more than three years and played a major part in re-establishing the principles of service excellence and prudent budgetary control in our Social Care and Wellbeing directorate.”

Aberdeen City Council Leader Councillor Barney Crockett said: “It is fair to say that our social care directorate has been transformed under Fred’s leadership and set on a new and exciting path. I am sorry to see him go but it is fitting that he should new be taking his skills on to the national stage in Ireland.”