Update no 597 23rd February 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

Agency Rules Consultation: Closes 28 February

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

Closing date 23:45 on 28 February 2024

Details

Research launched for Safer Internet Day reveals that young people are excited about changes in online technology but express the need for conversation and better support

Reminders From Previous Weeks

Reminder:

Future dates for network meetings

Network dates:

Lead Members Group: Expert Workshop #11 SEND Systems 27 February 4pm. More from Deborah Glassbrook (contact details below)

Adoption Leadership Board: More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

AD Education: 10:00am Friday 15 March 2024 face-to-face in London. More from Chris Owen (contact details below)

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

Kinship Care Network: More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Network dates:

AD Safeguarding: 10:00am Friday 8 March via Teams. More from Mark Evans (contact details below)

QA Network: 2pm Wednesday 27 March via Teams. Please contact kimesha.osbourne@hants.gov.uk for an invitation.

Fostering Network: 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: More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Finance Directors Group: More from Deborah Glassbrook (contact details below)

Commissioners’ Network: 1pm Friday 15 March via Teams. More from Chris Baird (contact details below)

Expressions of self: supporting minoritised children’s identity

On 17 January RiP published Expressions of self: supporting minoritised children’s identity

Details

These open access resources have been developed by a team of researchers at Coventry University in partnership with Research in Practice. They are designed for use by frontline practitioners.

The resources are based on the findings from a project funded by the Nuffield Foundation. The research aimed to listen to minoritised children and young people in care to understand their layered identities. It focussed on understandings of ethnicity and religion and how these intersect with other aspects of identity.

The report (pdf 28 pages)

The podcast (32 minutes)

Prevention and identification of children and young adults experiencing, or at risk of, modern slavery in the UK.

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

Findings

The critical role of local authorities as first responders in cases of child modern slavery; risk factors associated with child modern slavery for children in care; and

A need for a comprehensive and overarching child exploitation strategy that addresses the gaps in existing legislation.

The report calls for the Home Office to ensure that immigration enforcement functions do not increase the risk of modern slavery for children and young people.

The full report is here (68 pages pdf)

Tools & Templates

We have produced a Regional Improvement Plan (July 2023)

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.

On 23 January Joseph Rowntree Foundation published UK Poverty 2024: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK

On 18 January ImpactEd published Understanding Attendance
Findings on the drivers of pupil absence from over 30,000 young people in England

On 17 January RiP published Expressions of self: supporting minoritised children’s identity

On 12 January Research in Practice invited local authorities to join a network for the National Workload Action Group (NWAG) and Valuing Social Work Project.  On 2 January Community Care released a podcast Racism in social work.

On 9 January National Policing Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme (VKPP) published National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Crimes Report 2022

On 8 January DHSC published A framework of modifiable factors to guide promotion of good mental health in babies, children and young people

On 2 January Community Care released a podcast Racism in social work.

On 19 December DfE launched a Consultation on Guidance for Schools and Colleges on Gender Questioning Children which closes on 12 March 2024

On 19 December Heidi Connor, Senior Coroner for Berkshire published a Prevention of Future Deaths report following the Ruth Perry inquest. Ofsted’s response is here. The DfE response is here

On 18 December DfE published the government’s response to the review into safeguarding children with disabilities and complex health needs in residential settings by the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.

On 15 December DfE published Children’s Social Care National Framework and Revised Working Together

On 15 December DfE published Championing Kinship Care – The National Kinship Care Strategy

Contact Details

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

helen.watson5@icloud.com

07810 011892

Children’s Services Performance Manager, Convener Of SE Quality Assurance Network: Amanda Meadows (Hampshire)

Amanda.meadows@hants.gov.uk

03707 794752

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

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

NHS (SE) CYP mental health: Gavin Lockhart (NHS England (South East))

gavin.lockhart1@nhs.net

07879 488307

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

isabelle@firstcareconsultancy.co.uk

07931 586784

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