Lead Members' Group

The role of Lead Member is key to the leadership of Children’s Services.

We recognise the wealth of experience, enthusiasm and talent of our Lead Members and as with our DCSs, the support of colleagues and safe environment to share ideas and learn from each other is beneficial to all.

The SESLIP Programme Board has agreed to develop a work-stream to support the learning and development of Lead Members as a part of the SESLIP Improvement Plan. 

During 2020-2021 we piloted a programme of self-assessment and triad/ quartet peer challenge which were complementary to the DCS-led self-assessment and peer challenge and support. The priority outcomes from this programme have been agreed with Lead Members and will shape and inform the members work-stream which is currently being drafted.

The Lead Member Sponsor is Cllr Gareth Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People & Learning for Bracknell Forest.

South East Region's Lead Members Group is supported by Alison Michalska,  the LGA Regional Children's Improvement Advisor, as part of LGA's ongoing sector-led improvement offer.

Governance & Reports

Confidential organisational information is shared under the terms of the current SESLIP Memorandum of Understanding.

A contact list for the Lead Members Group is here.

Useful resources

Check out the LGA website for a wealth of helpful resources to support you in your role as Lead Member for Children's Services. We have picked out five key documents below as starters.

• Link to the ‘must know’ guide for lead members 
• New lead members guide (first 10 days)
• A guide to the 10 questions to ask when scrutinising LAC services - 
• What happens if your children’s services are judged inadequate by Ofsted? 
• Corporate parenting resource pack

Webinars and workshops

LGA event: Support for care leavers – advice for corporate parents

Wednesday 23 June 2021, 10:00am-11:30am

Looking after and protecting children and young people is one of the most important jobs that councils do and when a child, for whatever reason, can’t safely stay at home, it is up to councils to step in and give them the care, support and stability that they deserve. That continues when young people leave the council’s care.

All councillors in unitary, county and district councils are corporate parents to care leavers – but what does this look like in practice? This LGA webinar will support councillors in their role by considering what good corporate parenting looks like, hearing directly from a care leaver about why this is important, and the practical issues councillors can consider to improve the lives of care leavers.

Workshops already delivered

These were devised to respond to critical areas of concern for our South East member colleagues with senior leadership responsibility.

The first of these took place on Friday 5 March 2021, with the topic:

Your role as Corporate Parents in delivering excellence for Care Leavers, presented by Mark Riddell MBE. In the panel opposite there are links to his presentation, a BBC feature on a care leaver and a letter from MHCLG on Council Tax and Care Leavers.

The second workshop took place on Friday 19th March, on the topic: Child Poverty - understanding the role of Councillors in tacking child poverty and was led by Lisa Faulkner Bunyan (Child and Family Poverty/ Children's Services expert).

The slides for this event are posted in the box opposite.