Update no 607 2nd May 2024

If you have any news that you would like included in our Friday Update, please contact Richard Tyndall (details below)

Three children playing happily together

Updates

National aspirant DCS programme 2024

The Staff College we will be recruiting between 29 April and 7 June 2024 for the next round of the national aspirant DCS leadership development programme, with onboarding during the summer and the first residential in late September.

Programme Lead, Mike Bowden upon@thestaffcollege.uk.

Booking open 29 April – 7 June

We’re looking for inspiring new leaders that children can depend upon. Here’s an outline of some of the experience and character that would make an ideal future DCS:

  • A strong moral purpose and passion to champion children and young people and their outcomes.
  • At least 3 years effective senior strategic leadership and management experience in local government children’s services or related fields and sectors, though perhaps you feel you still want to consolidate your knowledge across the different component areas or be more confident in applying leadership skills to a more diverse range of services.
  • If you fit these criteria, and you have the potential to become a Director of Children’s Services within the next three years then apply.

SESLIP Kinship Care Conference – booking now open

SESLIP Kinship Care Conference Monday 8 July, Reigate

Book your place here

Save the Date – Monday 8 July 2024

We would love you and colleagues to come to our first in-person regional conference on Kinship Care.

 The speakers are now all confirmed and the eventbrite is open for registration for our regional kinship care conference, the first event to be held in person. You need to secure your ticket via eventbrite to guarantee entry.  

Click to sign up here: South East regional kinship care conference Tickets, Mon 8 Jul 2024 at 09:00 | Eventbrite

Please forward to colleagues who may be interested in attending. For further information contact rebeccaeligon@gmail.com

Reminders From Previous Weeks

Reminder

Future dates for network meetings

Network dates:

Lead Members Group: Expert Workshop #12 – Education: sufficiency and partnerships – 22 May 4.00pm – 6.00pm. More from Deborah Glassbrook (contact details below)

Adoption Leadership Board: 2:00-3:30 Wedenesday 17 July 2024. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

AD Education: 10:00am Friday 21 June 2024. More from Chris Owen (contact details below)

Principal Social Workers: More from Mark Evans (contact details below)

Kinship Care Network: 2:00-3:30 Thursday 16 May. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below) Conference Save the Date 8 July 2024

Commissioners’ Network: 1pm Friday 17 May via Teams. More from Chris Baird (contact details below)

Network dates:

AD Safeguarding: Friday 7 June. More from Mark Evans (contact details below)

QA Network: More from Kevin Kasaven (contact details below)

Fostering Network: 11:00-12:30 Wednesday 15 May. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Data Benchmarking: 10:00am Thursday 20 June.. SEND Data Benchmarking Thursday 9 May 10am. More from Luke Ede (contact details below)

SEND SE19: More from Sheelagh Sullivan (contact details below)

Early Help: 10:30-12:00 Monday 17 June. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Finance Directors Group: More from Richard Tyndall (contact details below)

Government response to HoC Education Select Committee

On 25 April the House of Commons Education Select Committee published the government’s response on Ofsted’s work with schools

Ofsted to keep one word school judgements

 At page 9, paragrpah 15, the government says, “

“So while the Government will continue to listen to views and look at alternative systems, including the various approaches taken internationally, the Government’s view is that there are significant benefits from having an Ofsted overall effectiveness grade. In our view the priority is to look for ways to improve the current system rather than developing an alternative to it. This includes considering with Ofsted the presentation of its findings and grades, and opportunities to highlight some of the detail sitting under the summary grade.”

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England

On 18 April the DfE published 2022-2023 data on suspensions and permanent exclusions from schools in England

Details

The publication includes data on:

  • reasons schools report for suspending and excluding pupils
  • suspensions and permanent exclusions by pupil characteristics

The data has been collected in the school census. Data for earlier years is also included.

Open call for evidence: safeguarding children in schools and colleges

On 28 March DfE published an open call for evidence on safeguarding children in schools and colleges

Closes 20 June 2024

The call for evidence relates to take the views of schools, colleges, and other professionals on safeguarding practice development and direction, in advance of keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) 2025.

We are seeking your views on:

  • the role of designated safeguarding leads
  • child safeguarding information
  • safer staff recruitment
  • filtering and monitoring
  • supporting children following reports of sexual violence and harassment
  • protecting children in boarding and residential special schools
  • quality assuring safeguarding
  • children bringing their own devices to schools
  • artificial intelligence

Tools & Templates

We have produced a Regional Improvement Plan (July 2023)

On 25 April the House of Commons Education Select Committee published the government’s response on Ofsted’s work with schools

On 18 April the DfE published 2022-2023 data on suspensions and permanent exclusions from schools in England

On 21 March DfE published School Capacity Data for 2022-2023

On 21 March DfE published pupil absence data for 2022-2023

On 21 March DfE published four new safety valve agreement

On 19 March LGA published Must Know: The role of a council leader in imporoving outcomes for children

On 7 March DfE published Maintained Schools Governance Guide and Academy Trust Governance Guide

On 5 March the Childrens’ Commissioner published Children on child in need plans

On 29 February DfE published annual data for Children’s social work workforce 2022-2023

On 29 February Ofsted published Social care common inspection framework (SCCIF): supported accommodation for looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17. Ofsted also published a report on the responses to the consultation on our inspection proposals

On 29 February the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse published Child sexual abuse in 2022/23: Trends in official data

On 20 February the Children’s Commissioner published Lost in transition? The destinations of children
who leave the state education system

On 20 February LGC released a podcast: The crisis in children’s services with Louise Gittins, Josh MacAlister, and Andy Smith

On 6 February UKSIC published Inspiring change? making a difference, managung influence and navigating change online

On 1 February Ofsted and CQC published Alternative provision in local areas in England: a thematic review

On 31 January DfE opened its consultation on Agency Rules for Local Authority Children’s Social Care

On 31 January DfE published Generative AI in education: Educator and expert views

On 31 January Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse published Support matters: The landscape of child sexual abuse support services in England and Wales

On 31 January NSPCC Learning published Home again: reunification practice in England: Understanding reunification practice in the children’s social care system in England

On 31 January NSPCC Learning published Returning children home from care: learning from case review

On 31 January NFER published Ethnic diversity in the teaching workforce: evidence review

On 31 January ECPAT UK published Prevention and identification of children and young adults experiencing, or at risk of, modern slavery in the UK.

On 30 January Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published its Annual Review 2022-2023

On 29 January Education Select Committee published Ofsted’s work with
schools

On 25 January DfE published Financial year 2022-23 LA and school expenditure. DfE also published School funding statistics for financial year 2023-2024. This relates to the funding that is allocated to local authorities and state-funded schools (academies) in England by the (DfE) in each year.

Contact Details

LGA Children’s Improvement Adviser: Helen Watson (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

helen.watson5@icloud.com

07810 011892

SESLIP Consultant; Commissioners’ Network, SEND Courageous Conversations: Chris Baird (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

bchrisbaird@gmail.com

07855 492010

Education Network: Chris Owen (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

chris@bright-spark.net

07825 862330

NHS (SE) Clinical lead for CYP mental health: Cindy Mukombegumi (NHS England (South East))

c.mukombegumi1@nhs.net

SESLIP Education Data Group Lead: Daryl Perilli (Brighton and Hove)

Daryl.Perilli@brighton-hove.gov.uk

SESLIP Consultant and LGA SEND Improvement Adviser: Deborah Glassbrook (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

deborah@optimisingpotential.co.uk

07882 158959

The Staff College Assistant Operations Manager: Ellie Bevis (The Staff College)

ellie.bevis@thestaffcollege.uk

0161 729 1065

SESLIP Consultant: Isabelle Gregory (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

isabelle@firstcareconsultancy.co.uk

07931 586784

Director of Children’s Countywide Services and convenor of QA network for SESLIP: Kevin Kasaven (Kent)

Kevin.Kasaven@kent.gov.uk

South East Grid for Learning – Consortium Manager: Krista Pickering (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

krista.pickering@segfl.org.uk

07872 014083

Data Benchmarking: Luke Ede (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

Luke.ede@eastsussex.gov.uk

07925 148597

CSC Workforce, PSW and AD Safeguarding Network Lead: Mark Evans (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

Mark@markevansconsulting.co.uk

07803 147072

Regional Strategic Lead LA Fostering South East: Natasha Sampson (Local Authority Fostering South East)

natasha.sampson@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

07919 217185

LGA Corporate Improvement Adviser: Philip (Phil) Simpkins (LGA)

philip.simpkins@btinternet.com

Adoption; Fostering; Kinship and Early Help Regional Networks: Rebecca Eligon (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

rebeccaeligon@gmail.com

07944 996219

SESLI Programme Manager: Richard Tyndall (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

richard.tyndall@richardtyndall.co.uk

07880 787007

S.E. Region SEND Network Programme Co-ordinator: Sheelagh Sullivan (South East Sector-Led Improvement Programme)

sheelagh.sullivan@outlook.com