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
Updates
Insight to Impact: Intersectionality, AI and the future of children’s social care
On 15 September (3pm-6.30pm) Coram Innovation Incubator innovation@coram.org.uk is hosting Insight to Impact
At this cross- disciplinary event, leading voices will debate if innovation in AI can support professionals with analysis of the complex intersecting, sometimes cumulative, needs of children and young people, while allowing them to deliver with compassion and equity.
Panellists
Ade Adetosoye CBE: Chief Executive Officer of Bromley Council
Simon Bailey QPM, DL, CBE: Chair of the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute at Anglia Ruskin University
Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein CBE: President of City St George’s, University of London
Isabelle Trowler CBE: Chief Social Worker for Children and Families and Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel member
Andrew Newman: Principal Data Specialist, Open Data Institute
Kevin Yong: Data and Tech Consultant, Coram
Matthew Wagner: Chief Analyst, Kent County Council
National Centre for Family Hubs
The National Centre for Family Hubs is hosted by LGA and funded by DfE and DHSC
It supports a range of improvement activities
- peer challenges
- Regional Advisors
- co–designed events
- themed webinars
- case studies
- bespoke support
- national in-person events
Regional Adviser
The south east regional adviser is Natasha Bishopp. She can be contacted at natasha@ajgb.com
Case Studies
NCFH have published over 25 case studies, including Moorlands Family Centre in Milton Keynes, and Best start in speech language and communication (SLCN) project: Reading Borough Council
Events
NCFH have collected and listed a range of events
Toolkit
NFCH have published a toolkit
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
Reminders From Previous Weeks
More than Words: how definitions impact on the UK’s response to child trafficking and exploitation
On 22 July ECPAT UK published More than Words: how definitions impact on the UK’s response to child trafficking and exploitation
The full report is here (pdf, 165 pages)
The executive summary is here (pdf, 9 pages)
Headlines
Research involved a literature review, analysis of UK laws and data from the National Referral Mechanism, and work with practitioners and other professionals.
Concerns highlighted include:
- rigid definitions leave many children unrecognised;
- inconsistent definitions undermine identification and protection; and
- access to support hinges on language.
The findings show a need for an overarching statutory definition of child exploitation to ensure consistent, joined up responses across strategic, legal, and policy frameworks informed by children and young people.
Must knows: CYP and mental health
On 23 July LGA published Children and young people’s mental health in their “Must Knows” series
Headlines
Councils have a range of duties and responsibilities to promote the health and wellbeing of young people in their area. This includes the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of mental health and, as appropriate, assessment and treatment under the Mental Health Act.
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 49 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 29 August SESLIP published its Targeted Support scheme prospectus
On 23 July LGA published Children and young people’s mental health in their “Must Knows” series
On 22 July ECPAT UK published More than Words: how definitions impact on the UK’s response to child trafficking and exploitation
On 16 July 2025 Ofsted published Social care providers and places as at 31 March 2025
On 16 July Foundations (What works centre for children and families) published a new practice guide: Parenting Disabled Children and Young People
On 13 July Nesta published on open call for an Early Years Resident as part of the Nesta Residency Programme
On 10 July 2025 DfE published Families first for children pathfinder – Implementation and process evaluation report: early findings
On 10 July 2025 BMJ published Characteristics, outcomes, and maternity care experiences of women with children’s social care involvement who subsequently died: national cohort study and confidential enquiry
On 9 July Inclusion in Practice published Emerging Insights
On 7 July the Office of the Schools Adjudicator published its Annual Report for 2024
On 7 July DfE published Keeping Children Safe in Education for use from September 2025
On 7 July DfE published Keeping Children Safe in Education for use from September 2025
On 26 June Lucy Faithful Foundation published Everyone’s Safer:
Supporting effective leadership responses to harmful sexual behaviour in school
On 26 June DfE published Education and Health Care Plans data for Jan 2025
On 25 June Foundations published its Evaluation of Multi-agency Safeguarding Hubs
On 20 June Become published Moved during exams
On 19 June Women’s Aid published Nineteen more child homicides
On 17 June The Law Commission published the terms of reference for its forthcoming Kinship Care Project
On 12 June DfE published Stability measures for children looked after in England
On 9 June DfE published Supporting Families Whole Family Working: Informing Future System Reform Annual report of the Supporting Families programme 2024 to 2025
On 5 June Foundations published Understanding families’ experiences of being offered a Family Group Conference
On 5 June DfE publsihed Schools, pupils and their characteristics for academic year 2024/25
On 24 May the Family Justice Council published Covert recordings in Family Law proceedings concerning children: Family Justice Council Guidance
On 23 May HMIProbation published Transitional Safeguarding in youth justice and probation services: A scoping study
On 23 May the Centre for expertise on child sexual abuse published Support Matters
On 22 May DfE published Serious incident notifications for 2024-25
On 22 May the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published a report on its Learning Support and Capability Project
On 13 May the Nuffield Foundation published Exploring racial disparity in diversion from the Youth Justice System
On 5 May DfE published additional working together to safeguard children material.
On 29 April the Domestic Abuse Commissioner published Victims in their own right?