Newsletters
Our Regional Improvement Plan can be found here
If you would like to apply to be a SESLIP consultant, please follow this link to Kent Business Portal – KentBusinessPortal and after registering on the portal, search for Ref – SC240046 – SESLIP – DPS – V2
Updates
Children living in illegal children’s homes
On 11 January the Children’s Commissioner published Children living in illegal children’s homes
Headlines
669 children were living in unregistered children’s homes on 1 September 2025, a decrease of 12% from 2024. Key findings include:
- over half of children in unregistered placements were 16-to-17-years-old;
- 30% of children in unregistered placements had a least one missing episode, in comparison to 11% of all children in care; and
- 61% of children had been placed outside of their local authority area.
Recommendations include
- a clear service specification for accommodation, including accommodation which may restrict liberty, set out by the government; and
- a duty on local authorities to notify Ofsted within 24 hours of placing a child in an unregistered setting.
PAC report on financial sustainability of children’s homes
On 16 January the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons published its report Financial sustainability of children’s homes
Headline
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) highlights an unacceptable finding: that in September 2024, nearly 800 vulnerable children had been placed in illegal homes through this system. This is around 1 in 10 of all children in residential care at that point in time.
How Digital Life Story Work Can Empower Children in Care
Starting in Autumn and running until Spring, the DCS Leadership Programme will welcome around 40 new Aspirant Directors.
Join Our Webinar on Feb 20th
If you are interested in applying for the DCS Leadership Programme and would like to know more information about what’s involved and how to apply, there are online webinars in early 2026:
- Webinar 1 – already held
- Webinar 2 – Tuesday 3rd February @ 2pm
- Webinar 3 – Thursday 12th February @ 11am
During the webinar you will hear from those that helped develop and deliver the programme, discuss what the programme entails in detail, and there will also be plenty of opportunities for you to ask any questions you might have
Aspirant DCS Programme NOW BOOKING
Starting in Autumn and running until Spring, the DCS Leadership Programme will welcome around 40 new Aspirant Directors.
Find out more:
If you are interested in applying for the DCS Leadership Programme and would like to know more information about what’s involved and how to apply, there are online webinars in early 2026:
- Webinar 1 – already held
- Webinar 2 – Tuesday 3rd February @ 2pm
- Webinar 3 – Thursday 12th February @ 11am
During the webinar you will hear from those that helped develop and deliver the programme, discuss what the programme entails in detail, and there will also be plenty of opportunities for you to ask any questions you might have
Reminders From Previous Weeks
Elective home education Autumn term 2025/26
On January 15 DfE published data reported by local authorities on children of compulsory school age in elective home education (EHE) in England.
Headlines
126,000 children in elective home education (EHE) on census date in autumn 2025. In the previous autumn term, there were 111,700 children electively home educated.
From Surviving to Thriving
On 31 December Coram published From Surviving to Thriving
The report contains key findings and recommendations from Coram Voice’s Bright Spots programme
- Key findings (pdf, 36 pages)
- Executive summary (pdf, 4 pages)
- Full report (pdf, 176 pages)
The seven drivers of well-being for children in care and care leavers
- emotional and mental health support
- family and friends
- trusted and supportive carers
- feel safe at home
- opportunities for learning and growing
- involved and informed
- known and trusted workers
SESLIP Targeted Support
The SESLIP Targeted Support scheme is now open to enquiries from children’s services authorities in the south east.
This project is funded by the DfE’s RIIA grant and is open to both CSC and SEND.
Details
The prospectus introduces our dedicated Targeted Support Core Team, which includes experienced, ex-local authority leaders, who have worked at director, assistant director and principal programme manager levels,
The core team’s practice is enhanced by collaboration with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from across the full range of children’s services.
A bespoke package will be agreed at scoping stage.
For more information, or to become involved as a subject matter expert, contact Claire@clairewoodcockconsulting.com
Regional Improvement Plan 2025-26
On 18 July 2025 SESLIP published our regional improvement plan for 2025-26
Headlines
The new regional improvement plan has 47 projects and a budget of just under £2m.
The plan incorporates our delivery plan for DfE’s RIIA grant of £1.6m to SESLIP for the current year
Tools & Templates
We have produced a Regional Improvement Plan (July 2025)
On 16 January the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons published its report Financial sustainability of children’s homes
On January 15 DfE published data reported by local authorities on children of compulsory school age in elective home education (EHE) in England.
On 13 January Foundations (What Works Centre for Children and Families) published Parenting through adversity: parents of children and young people aged 11-18
On 11 January the Children’s Commissioner published Children living in illegal children’s home
On 31 December Coram published From Surviving to Thriving key findings and recommendations from Coram Voice’s Bright Spots programme
On 26 November DfE published annual statistics for Fostering 2024-2025
On 26 November DfE published annual statistics for Children looked after in England including adoptions 2024-2025
On 24 November NSPCC published Tipping point: tackling the challenges in safeguarding children educated at home
On 24 November AEPA published Belonging and Excellence: The importance of local education partnerships.
On 20 November, Home+Future, the South East RCC, published the region’s Sufficiency Statement 2026: Building positive futures
On 14 November CCN published SEND in England: how we got to crisis point and why we need reform of the system
On 11 November the Children’s Commissioner published Children on custodial demand
On 11 November Rees Centre published Success – whose definition counts? A co-designed framework by and for young people leaving care
On 10 November, the National Centre for Family Hubs published a case study from the Isle of Wight
On 5 November Centre for Young Lives published Best Start: A Fresh Start for
Children and Family Support
Part 2 Report
On 5 November DfE and DHSC launched an independent review of social work regulation
On 30 October Contact published a policy briefing How Continuing Care for Children fails those with the most complex health needs (England).
On 30 October DfE published the annual Children in need statistics for the year to 31 March 2025.
On 28 October DfE published Academic year 2024/25 Home to school transport: LA data collection
On 22 October MoJ published Presumption of parental involvement review: final report
On 20 October DfE published the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper
On 20 October ONS published Suicides in children and young people across the academic year, England: September 2011 to August 2022
On 20 October The Children’s Commissioner published The Children’s Plan: Vision for Care
On 13 October The Domestic Abuse Commissioner published Everday Business
On 13 October Home+Future (the south east’s RCC) published Briefing 002 – cross regional placements
On 10 October The Youth Endowment Fund published Access to mental health support
On 6 October Ofsted published Children’s social care questionnaires 2025