South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP)

Five happy students, in school uniform, holding a chalkboard which has "We are the future" written on it

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. East Sussex County Council acts as the lead authority and currently, Alison Jeffery (DCS, East Sussex), 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

upports 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

Parenting through adversity

On 7 February Foundations (previously the What Works Centre for Families and Children) published Parenting through adversity, the second in a series of practice guides commissioned by the DfE to support the roll-out of the children’s social care national framework

The first guide, on kinship care, was published in October last year.

Children's involvement in the 2024 riots

On 28 January the Children’s Commissioner published Children’s involvement in the 2024 riots

Bookings for the Sep 2025 - Mar 2026 Aspirant Directors Programme are now open Closing date: 3 March, 2025

The Programme is looking for inspiring new leaders that children can depend upon. If you are interested in applying for our DCS Leadership Programme and would like to know more information about what’s involved and how to apply,  we will be holding online webinars throughout February 2025.

Upcoming Events

  • Lead Members from Wokingham, Isle of Wight, Brighton and Hove and Portsmouth Self Assessment Triad session

    This session will be held via Teams for colleagues from Wokingham, Isle of Wight, Brighton and Hove and Portsmouth.
    For more details check out the Lead Members pages on the SESLIP website: https://www.seslip.co.uk/lead-members-group/

    On-line

    20 February 2025
    15:00 - 16:30

  • AD Safeguarding

    07 March 2025
    10:00 - 13:00

  • SE19 SEND Operational Leads


    Contact sonia.dayal@sdsa.net for information.

    MS Teams

    13 March 2025
    13:00 - 14:30

  • Lead Members from Slough, Buckinghamshire and Southampton Self Assessment Triad session

    This session will be held via Teams for colleagues from Slough, Buckinghamshire and Southampton.
    For more details check out the Lead Members pages on the SESLIP website: https://www.seslip.co.uk/lead-members-group/

    On-line

    13 March 2025
    15:30 - 17:00

Please use the contact details below to find out more.

Our Partners

ADCS logo. Sub-title reads Leading Children's Services

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 Logo

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