South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP)
The South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP) is the name of our Regional Improvement and Innovation Alliance (RIIA). It is a membership group of all single/upper-tier local authorities in the South East that aims to:
- improve outcomes for children and young people across the South East
- establish a culture of honest and constructive dialogue and challenge within and between authorities
- demonstrate the capacity and capability of the sector to achieve a coherent and consistent self-improving system
We believe good children’s services are a product of reflective practice, professional supervision/peer challenge, effective leadership and independent audit.
SESLIP is founded on a Memorandum of Understanding which has been agreed nationally and in the South East. Kent County Council acts as the lead authority and Michael Bracey (Chief Executive, Milton Keynes), chairs the Programme Steering Group
Additionally, participating authorities have each signed a tailored Memorandum of Understanding to support the SE children’s sector-led improvement programme.
What we do
SESLIP supports the political and professional leadership and management of local authority children’s services to demonstrate, develop and share good practice. Our programmes support the development of children’s services as learning organisations, focusing on:
- identifying key strands of enquiry
- analysing and comparing operational data about the services
- using evidence to inform decisions, including evidence available from outside the region, where relevant
- using peer challenge and peer review
- building leadership capacity and capability, and
- developing standards of practice through supportive endeavour
We have produced a Regional Improvement Plan which sets out the activities. Its aim is to identify ways in which local authorities in the South East can support each other to improve and look at how collective action can help address systemic issues within the region.
Featured News and Updates
Foundations report on Family Group Conferences
On 23 March Foundations (What Works Centre for Children and Families) published Family Group Conferences: Service Design and Family Experience (pdf, 123 pages)
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
On 18 March DfE published Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026. A summary of the changes is here
Expert Panel for National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages
On 25 March DfE published an advertisement for Panel Member, Expert Panel for National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages
Upcoming Events
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DCS Peer Challenge Triad 2
We welcome colleagues from the county councils of Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex.
17 April 2026
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SESLIP Education Network meeting
08 May 2026
10:00 - 12:00 -
PSW Network meeting
11 May 2026
10:30 - 13:00 -
Commissioners Network meeting
Network members please contact Chris Baird for a meeting link
MS Teams
15 May 2026
13:00 - 14:30
Our Partners
The Association of Directors of Children’s Services Ltd (ADCS) is the national leadership association in England for statutory directors of children’s services and their senior management teams.
The LGA is a politically-led, cross-party organisation that works on behalf of councils to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice with national government.
Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers) is the representative body for senior strategic managers working in the public sector.
The purpose of this website
The primary purpose of this website is to provide information and updates on the programme to staff of the 19 contributing authorities and to make this accessible to anyone who does business with them or an interest in improving Children’s Services.
The ‘latest news’ page gives a snapshot of current activity and is updated weekly.
Contact details for people leading the initiatives on behalf of the SESLIP are provided on the relevant pages or you can contact the Programme Manager, Richard Tyndall: richard.tyndall@richardtyndall.co.uk 07880 787007