Update no 621 9th August 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

Leaving care and the risk of homelessness

On 31 July the Centre for Homelessness Impact published Staying put: leaving care and the risk of homelessness.

Staying Put is a scheme that enables young people are able to remain with their foster carers, if both parties agree, from the age of 18 to 21. The report evaluates how this reduces the risk of homelessness in care leavers.

What the study found:

Consistent and strong evidence that Staying Put significantly lowers the risk of homelessness for care leavers.

If the number of participants in the Staying Put scheme is increased by just 13%, over 300 care leavers could be prevented from experiencing homelessness per year.

Recommendations:

  • Awareness of Staying Put as an option is increased among foster carers around the UK.
  • Local authorities do what they can to increase the number of Staying Put arrangements.
  • Central government increases the funding available for local authorities to support Staying Put arrangements.

Online safety for parents

On several dates in August South East Grid for Learning has organised FREE webinars for parents and carers

Cyber Choices 19 and 22 August 8pm

Cyber Protect 15 and 22 August 7pm

More details from krista.pickering@segfl.org.uk

SEGfL are pleased to offer NCSC Cyber Protect webinars for parents and carers, with a focus on protecting children from online threats.

These sessions last around an hour, are totally FREE to attend, and they are aimed at parents/carers of a wide range of children/young people, from KS2 pupils (7-8 year olds) right up to college/Uni students (18+).

Reminders From Previous Weeks

Reminder

Future dates for network meetings

Network dates:

Lead Members Group: next meeting Friday 20 September 10am. More from Deborah Glassbrook (contact details below)

Adoption Leadership Board: 2:00-3:30 Wedenesday 16 October 2024. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

AD Education: 10:00am Friday 27 September 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 Tuesday 18 November. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Commissioners’ Network: 1pm Friday 20 September via Teams. More from Chris Baird (contact details below)

Network dates:

AD Safeguarding: Friday 6 September. More from Mark Evans (contact details below)

QA Network: Tuesday 16 September 2024. More from Kevin Kasaven (contact details below) Contact Sian.fearn@kent.gov.uk for a Teams link.

Fostering Network: 10:00-11:30 Thursday 12 September. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Data Benchmarking: 10:00am Thursday 12 September. SEND Data Benchmarking Thursday 5 December 10am. More from Luke Ede (contact details below)

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

Early Help: 10:30-12:00 Monday 16 September. More from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Towards an effective and financially sustainable approach to SEND in England

On Thursday 25 July LGA and County Councils Network published Towards an effective and financially sustainable approach to SEND in England

Key recommendatuions

  • Establishing a new “National Framework” for additional needs overseen by a new “National Institute”, that sets out standards and best practice to embed inclusion and improve support.
  • Rapidly rebuilding capacity within mainstream settings to embed inclusive practice, including creating a new core offer of targeted, multi-disciplinary support that children can access without a statutory plan, alongside education reforms to support and incentivise inclusion.
  • Reforming elements of the statutory framework to ensure local partners have the right powers to improve local SEND systems. The report recommends establishing new statutory Local Inclusion Partnerships, made up of the local authority, health services and education partners, to lead strategic planning and commissioning of a continuum of specialist and targeted SEND support to meet local needs. All partners would have joint powers, responsibility and accountability for services, and a pooled budget.
  • Create a new “Destinations and Progression Service” in each local area to support young people with additional needs to prepare for adult life and coordinate a smooth transition to adult services acrosseducation, health and care.

The Staff College – Inspiring women into leadership

On Monday 9 September The Staff College is hosting a 1-day workshop in central London “Inspiring women into leadership

Book your place on this workhop here

Cost £395

More details

This workshop is specially curated for women standing at career crossroads, contemplating the leap into management or leadership roles. If you’ve ever pondered the path to leadership or sought to amplify your impact within your organisation, this is for you..

Upskill yourself in Data Analytics

Data 2 Insight is promoting another cohort of the Children’s Services Data Analyst L4 apprenticeship, delivered by Corndel.

Applications close: 13 September 2024

Learning commences: 31 October 2024

Applications close Friday 13 September

D2I hope that by providing more notice, and a longer application period, they can avoid the rush that some colleagues have had to prepare an application, and work around any summer absences which may be a factor. You can email georgina.pym@eastsussex.gov.uk for more information

NNDHP Annual Conference 24 September 2024

On Tuesday 24 September, NNDHP is organising a national conference “Teachers and Social Workers, Nurses and Doctors, Police Officers and Leaders -It Takes a Village

Details

The conference has an excellent multi-agency lineup of speakers, including Sir Alan Wood (keynote speaker), and Professor Don Forrester from the school of social sciences at Cardiff University.

Please forward to social care colleagues and partners and the designated nurses and doctors in your safeguarding partnership

Tools & Templates

We have produced a Regional Improvement Plan (June 2024)

On 31 July the Centre for Homelessness Impact published Staying put: leaving care and the risk of homelessness.

On Thursday 25 July LGA and County Councils Network published Towards an effective and financially sustainable approach to SEND in England

On 16 July MSHR published Internal trafficking and exploitation of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) within England and Wales

On 11 July NFJO published This is what we think – Perspectives on being cared for from older children and young people – including those on deprivation of liberty orders

On 10 July CSA Centre and Barnardo’s SEEN published the first overview of research in relation to the sexual abuse of African, Asian and Caribbean heritage children.

On 26 June the BBC radio programme Money Box Live broadcast a 30-minute programme on Care leavers and how they manage their money

On 20 June DfE published SEND pupil census information, based on school census data.

On 17 June Joseph Rowntree Foundation published The impact of hardship on primary schools and primary and community healthcare

On 13 June The Fostering Network launched the 2024 State of the Nations’ Foster Care survey and it remains open until 30 June.

On 13 June DfE published Education and Health Care Plans 2024

On 6 June DfE published Schools, pupils and their characteristics 2023-2024

On 5 June Mr Justice Chamberlain published his final decision in the long running JR case involving ECPAT UK, Kent, Brighton and Hove and the Home Secretary and the Education Secratary. Neutral Citation Number: [2024] EWHC 1353 (Admin).On 24 May the Childrens’ Commissioner published Children’s experiences as victims of crime

On 21 May Data 2 Insight published Children’s Social Care for Data People, an overview of the system, stakeholders, common local practice, and necessary
knowledge for data professionals working in Children’s Social Care

On 15 May the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published Safeguarding Children in Elective Home Education

On 13 May DfE published Agency child and family social workers: data return and price caps

On 10 May the Children’s Commissioner published An Alternative Route: Post-16 support for young people attending Alternative Provision

On 9 May DfE launched a consultation on proposals to strengthen protections for children in unregistered alternative provision settings. Closing date is Friday 5 July

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

Contact Details

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

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

helen.watson5@icloud.com

07810 011892

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