South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP)
The South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP) is the name of our Regional Improvement and Innovation Alliance (RIIA). It is a membership group of all single/upper-tier local authorities in the South East that aims to:
- improve outcomes for children and young people across the South East
- establish a culture of honest and constructive dialogue and challenge within and between authorities
- demonstrate the capacity and capability of the sector to achieve a coherent and consistent self-improving system
We believe good children’s services are a product of reflective practice, professional supervision/peer challenge, effective leadership and independent audit.
SESLIP is founded on a Memorandum of Understanding which has been agreed nationally and in the South East. Kent County Council acts as the lead authority and Michael Bracey (Chief Executive, Milton Keynes), chairs the Programme Steering Group
Additionally, participating authorities have each signed a tailored Memorandum of Understanding to support the SE children’s sector-led improvement programme.
What we do
SESLIP supports the political and professional leadership and management of local authority children’s services to demonstrate, develop and share good practice. Our programmes support the development of children’s services as learning organisations, focusing on:
- identifying key strands of enquiry
- analysing and comparing operational data about the services
- using evidence to inform decisions, including evidence available from outside the region, where relevant
- using peer challenge and peer review
- building leadership capacity and capability, and
- developing standards of practice through supportive endeavour
We have produced a Regional Improvement Plan which sets out the activities. Its aim is to identify ways in which local authorities in the South East can support each other to improve and look at how collective action can help address systemic issues within the region.
Featured News and Updates
Urgent Call to Withdraw the FII Label
An open letter has called for FII to be retired as a safeguarding category altogether.
On 13 September BJSW published Fabricated or induced illness in England: Examining mortality and serious harm an article by Andy Bilson and Alessandro Talia
2-child benefit cap and school readiness - no effect found
On 24 September IFS published What is the effect of the two-child limit on children’s school readiness?
Minister: "We will bring forward a full Schools White Paper early in the new year,"
On 22 October SoS Phillipson announced the further delay of the SEND white paper
Upcoming Events
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ADCS/ADASS Associates meeting
03 November 2025
14:00 - 15:30 -
SESLIP Transformation Network Meeting
03 November 2025
15:00 - 16:30 -
Meeting re BGM project
10 November 2025
12:30 - 13:00 -
PSW agenda setting meeting
11 November 2025
10:00 - 10:45
Our Partners
The Association of Directors of Children’s Services Ltd (ADCS) is the national leadership association in England for statutory directors of children’s services and their senior management teams.
The LGA is a politically-led, cross-party organisation that works on behalf of councils to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice with national government.
Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers) is the representative body for senior strategic managers working in the public sector.
The purpose of this website
The primary purpose of this website is to provide information and updates on the programme to staff of the 19 contributing authorities and to make this accessible to anyone who does business with them or an interest in improving Children’s Services.
The ‘latest news’ page gives a snapshot of current activity and is updated weekly.
Contact details for people leading the initiatives on behalf of the SESLIP are provided on the relevant pages or you can contact the Programme Manager, Richard Tyndall: richard.tyndall@richardtyndall.co.uk 07880 787007