Newsletters
Our Regional Improvement Plan can be found here
If you would like to apply to be a SESLIP consultant you will need to register with Kent Business Portal and once you are registered, log in and navigate to “Response Manager” and the link to View Invites and Responses. The relevant Access Code is KT59CT449W which will take you to DPS – SC240046 – SESLIP – New Suppliers. Please follow the on screen instructions
Updates
Regional Improvement Plan 2026-27
On 14 July 2026 SESLIP published our regional improvement plan for 2026-27
Headlines
The regional improvement plan has 43 projects and a budget of just over £2m.
The plan incorporates our delivery plan for DfE’s RIIA grant of £1.5m to SESLIP for financial year 2026-27.
Expert Adviser – Children’s Social Care
On 16 July 2026 DfE published itt_4022 – ECSC Dynamic Framework Lot 14 – Children’s Social Care Improvement and Intervention (CSCII), Expert Advisers at https://education.app.jaggaer.com/
Closes 14 August
The EA will work with DfE to broker a suitable CSC Improvement Team (CIT) based on the diagnostics findings. Once agreed and funding signed off, the EA, CIT and intervention LA will produce a single, authoritative Central Improvement Plan (CIP), to be approved by the LA owned Improvement Board.
LGSC Ombudsman 2025-2026 report
On 13 July 2026 LGSCO published its annual report 205-2026 on local government (including children’s services) complaints
Headlines
Amerdeep Clarke, the LGSC Ombudsman said “This year, we welcomed the publication of independent research by the University of Manchester, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, examining how local authorities respond to our service improvement recommendations in SEND. The findings of that research, “Set Up to Fail?”, echo much of what we see in our own data.
The research confirms that many of the problems driving complaints to us are rooted in national systemic failures: inadequate funding, chronic shortages of educational psychologists, and demand that has consistently outpaced available resource. Local authority officers interviewed for the research described a SEND system that is, in their own words, “fundamentally broken” and a “national crisis”.”
Reminders From Previous Weeks
Gone Too Far: How being moved far away puts care-experienced girls at risk
On 7 July Become published Gone Too Far: How being moved far away puts care-experienced girls at risk
Headlines
18,000 children in care (1 in 5) are sent away from their local area, with some sent more than 500 miles away – and the numbers keep rising year on year. With not enough safe, suitable homes, children have little or no choice in where they live and are moved repeatedly, often without warning, sometimes multiple times a year.
This is a national issue facing local councils across the country. Decades of underinvestment mean decisions about where children live are driven by budgets, not what’s best for children. We spoke to eight young women about their experiences.
Law Commission Consultation on Kinship Care
On 8 July the Law Commission launched a consultation on Kinship Care
Closes: 16 October 2026
The Law Commission invites consultees to submit responses via the online response form. If possible, please use this method.
By email to: kinshipcare@lawcommission.gov.uk
OR by post to: Kinship Care Team, Law Commission, 1st Floor, Tower, 52 Queen Anne’s Gate, London, SW1H 9AG.
Local government reorganisation: decision letters to council leaders
On 16 July the Secretary of State (MHCLG) announced LGR changes
Details
The following are on a timetable for shadow council elections in May 2027 and D-Day on ! April 2028:
KCSIE 2026 published
On 7 July the DfE published Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 – for use from 1 September 2026 onwards
Main changes
This update reflects substantive changes that strengthen or clarify existing content, changes to multi agency working ahead of any legislation changes in the:
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill,
Casey Audit, and adds content in relation to
Violence Against Women and Girls.
Academic year 2024/25: Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England
On 9 July DfE published Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England for AY 2024-2025
Details
There were 913,000 suspensions in 2024/25, a decrease of 4% from 955,000 in 2023/24.
SESLIP Targeted Support – Updated for 2026-27
The SESLIP Targeted Support scheme for 2026-27 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.
Two new packages
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.
It introduces two new packages: Lean Academy: White and Yellow Belt Training and a Coaching and Mentoring Programme
For more information, or to become involved as a subject matter expert, contact Claire@clairewoodcockconsulting.com
Tools & Templates
We have produced a Regional Improvement Plan (July 2025)
On 14 July 2026 SESLIP published our regional improvement plan for 2026-27
On 13 July 2026 LGSCO published its annual report 205-2026 on local government (including children’s services) complaints
On 9 July DfE published Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England for AY 2024-2025
On 9 July Foundations (What Works Centre for Families andChildren) published a Reunification Practice Guide
On 8 July the Law Commission launched a consultation on Kinship Care
On 7 July Become published Gone Too Far: How being moved far away puts care-experienced girls at risk
On 3 July DfE published the RISE South East Regional Plan
On 28 June The Bar Council published its Review of the minimium age of criminal responsibility
On 24 June Kinship launched its annual survey 2026
On 15 June DHSC published an update on Deprivation of Liberty following a Supreme Court judgment on 2 June 2026
On 15 June the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse published Implementing the Child Sexual Abuse Response Pathway: A guide for local safeguarding partnerships and regional safeguarding boards
On 8 June YEF published Children’s services and violence prevention – practice guidance for senior leaders in children’s services on how to protect children from involvement in violence.
On 5 June CSPRP published a suite of resources on Safeguarding children not in school
On 5 June DfE published guidance and documents setting out expectations for local authorities and integrated care boards to develop and deliver their Experts at Hand offer in year 1.
On 4 June Nuffield Foundation published Higgledy Piggledy – Systems of support for young people aged 14-24 with poor mental health
On 14 May Foundations (What works centre for children and families) published its Foster Care Practice Guide.
On 5 May Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) published its Report of the 4th Evaluation Round
On 5 May the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner published Anticipating Exploitation – a futures based analysis
On 1 May SESLIP published its Targeted Support Prospectus – updated for 2026-27
On 30 April Policy in Practice launched Linking household benefits, financial precarity and child welfare
On 27 April The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published Why did it take so long to respond?
On 24 April Foundations re-published its practice guide: Parenting through adversity – parents of children and young people 11-18.
On 22 April NAO published Responding to changing demand for school places
On 20 April Research in Practice published Refreshed Multi-agency Practice Principlesfor Tackling Child Exploitation. The publication includes a case study from Slough
On 16 April EPI published Educational psychologists in England
On 2 April DfE published Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England