TWO new departments at Wiltshire County Council will lead to better services for the most vulnerable people in the county, it has been claimed.

A department responsible for children, education and libraries and a department responsible for adult and community services will replace the existing education and libraries department and the social services department.

The new structures put children and vulnerable adults firmly at the centre of services by creating departments to cater specifically for their needs.

Common management will make it easier for different professions to work more closely together to identify those in need quicker and to deliver care more effectively.

The department for children, education and libraries will bring teachers, social workers, educational welfare officers, school advisers and youth workers together.

It will have responsibility for all county council services that impact on children such as fostering, education and the youth service.

The department for adult and community services will provide all services to vulnerable adults.

The new department is another step towards the introduction of care trusts which will provide integrated health and social care services.

Cabinet member for social services, Cllr Judy Seager, said: “We will take the best of the traditions and practice of the old departments, and use the vast amount of knowledge within them to develop new and better ways of working.

“Frontline services will continue to be provided by the same people and initially service users will not see a great deal of difference.

“However, over time they will find that services are easier to access and that delivery of the various elements of their care will be better co-ordinated.”