DEBBIE Jones has been appointed acting director of health and social care at Durham County Council.

She will replace head of Social Services Peter Kemp when he leaves the authority at the end of April.

Mrs Jones is the authority's head of Services for Children and their Families and will work with Mr Kemp until he leaves his post.

She joined Durham County Council in early 2001, moving from Slough where she was head of Children's Services.

Originally from London, Mrs Jones began her working life in the 1970s as a children's social worker in the London borough of Southwark.

She has also worked in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as spending two years lecturing in Further Education.

Three years with the Department of Health and a national research project relating to children in public care was followed by two years as a service manager for disabled children. She took up her post in Slough in 1997.

Mrs Jones, who is married with two-grown up sons, said: "I am delighted to be offered this opportunity at what is an extremely challenging time for Social Services departments up and down the country.

"It is a big privilege for me particularly as Durham Social Services has achieved considerable successes lately, not least the attainment of two stars in our recent independent performance assessment and our shortlisting for Beacon council status for our services for older people."

Mr Kemp has been Durham County Council's Social Services chief for the past 18 years.

He took the helm of Durham Social Services in 1986, having previously been deputy director for two years.