UPDATE NO 442 26 February 2021

SESLIP publishes Provisional Regional Improvement Plan for 2021-2022

26 February 2020: SESLIP has published its provisional Regional Improvement Plan for 2021-22.

The plan remains provisional until DfE funding for 2021-22 is confirmed. 

Comments are invited: please respond to the Programme Manager, Richard Tyndall (details below)

Subject to funding, new projects are proposed for Post-Covid Organisation and Practice; and for a regional response to the DfE Review of Care. There is provision to support 9 regional networks; to continue the work on Children Missing Education, commissioning and sufficiency planning to increase stability and permanence for Looked After Children, Data to Insight; as well as the peer challenge arrangements for DCSs and Lead Members.

The provisional plan is here.   

A message from the National Citizen Service

Charlotte Drewett of the National Citizen Service writes, 

“NCS is a youth programme that exists to engage, inspire, unite and empower young people from England, building confidence so they can go out and achieve their dreams, no matter where they’re from or what their background is. We instil a sense of public service and citizenship, inspiring a lifelong commitment to doing good in their local communities and bringing people together.

“In 2021, we have the opportunity for 16 & 17 year olds across the South East to engage with our 2 or 3 week programme over summer. Alongside this we have launched our Skills Booster sessions which are resources for all education and youth establishments to engage with.

“New to 2021 are our Change Makers groups who meet at least once per month to deliver social action within their local area.

“We are working hard within the South East to engage under-represented young people to ensure that our programmes support those young people who need it most. We are also keen to engage with groups of young people including Looked after Children, Virtual Schools, Youth Offenders, Young Carers and Homeschoolers.

“Please contact our Community Engagement Manager, Charlotte Drewett, to discuss how your Local Authority can work more closely and collaboratively with NCS to support young people in 2021.” 

Safeguarding Pressures Phase 7

24 February: ADCS published Phase 7 of its Safeguarding Pressures research.

For over a decade ADCS has collected both qualitative and quantitative data from local authorities to evidence and better understand changes in demand for, and provision of, children’s social care and associated services. This report outlines pressures faced by local authorities during 2019/20 while also including a focus on activity in the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is the seventh phase of study, meaning we can now compare data over a twelve-year period. The report draws together survey responses from 129 of all local authorities in England, covering 89% of England’s children and young people population. This, together with existing data, provides an insight into the safeguarding related pressures facing children’s services across the country.

Safeguarding Pressures Phase 7 – Main Report (pdf / 5 mb)

Safeguarding Pressures Phase 7 – Executive Summary (pdf)

Safeguarding Pressures Phase 7 – Press Release

Safeguarding Pressures Phase 7 – Main Report – reduced file size (pdf / 3.5mb)

Safeguarding Pressures Phase 7 – Data Collection Form (pdf / 0.5mb)

To accompany the latest report, ADCS has updated the timeline which illustrates the events and changes that impact on safeguarding children and young people in England. This update now includes a detailed timeline of Covid-19 related events and changes in 2020. Children’s Services Policy Timeline 2007 onwards

Silver Linings Report Published

26 February: SESLIP has published its Silver Linings Report.

There are 16 case studies of new or improved practice stimulated by response to managing through the pandemic, hence the silver linings to the pandemic’s cloud. We are not endorsing any of these projects, nor have we rejected any case studies as somehow not worthy of publication, therefore we publish these case studies on a “take-it-or-leave-it” basis.

Read about initiatives from East Sussex, Hamshire and Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead across schools, education services and social care.

The case studies are available individually or as a compendium report from the Silver Linings Project page

Future dates for Network meetings

Lead Members Group:  10.00am Friday 5 March 2021, “Your role as Corporate Parents in delivering excellence for Care Leavers“, presented by Mark Riddell MBE. More information from Alison Michalska (contact details below)

Data Benchmarking: Thursday 11 March 2021. More information from Alastair Lee (contact details below)

Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board: Tuesday 20 April 2021. More information from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

AD Education: Friday 12 March 2021 – 10.30am. More information from Chris Owen (contact details below)

AD Safeguarding: Friday 12 March 2021. More information from Mark Evans (contact details below)

QA Network: Wednesday 10 March 2021. More information from Diane Williamson (contact details below)

Fostering Network: 10.30am Thursday 12 April 2021. More information from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

SEND SE19: DfE SEND Regional Update 12.30pm Wednesday 24 February 2021. More information from Tracey Maytas (contact details below)

Take Your Place – the future leaders programme for the South East

New dates announced for Take Your Place courses delivered in association with The Staff College this spring and summer

Please download the flyer here 

Further information from Mark Evans (contact details below)

• Women in Leadership 24 and 25 March

The Women in Leadership Programme is designed to create a safe space for women to connect, share their experiences and learn how to strive and thrive in their own work places. There are some key issues that affects every woman along the path of her career. The Programme helps to address some of the issues that affect all females by providing a forum that considers the unique challenges women encounter

• Black and Asian Leaders 23 and 24 June 

This programme aims to: Provide strategies to help participants overcome barriers and enhance their skills to be able to thrive as Black global majority leaders; Renew self and group confidence, which is often depleted by every day racism; Enable participants to learn about and try out for themselves different leadership approaches and understand how these relate to their own values and principles; Ensure participants develop their own personal learning plan in order to help them progress in their careers.

High Needs Funding Block: consultation closes 24 March

DfE have launched a consultation about the formula used to calculate the high needs funding block. 

The closing date is 24 March. 

The consultation document is here

The response page is here

The DfE says

“The high needs National Funding Formula (NFF) calculates funding allocations to local authorities for children and young people in England with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision (AP).

“This consultation forms the first stage of a longer term review of the High Needs NFF. This review will be taken forward following the SEND review, and will consider how the distribution of High Needs funding can be improved, to achieve the highest quality support for the most vulnerable children and young people.”

Launch of the Public Law Working Group’s Final Report 10.30am – 12pm on Tuesday 9 March 2021

Katy Block of ADCS writes 

“Practitioners and professionals working in the English and Welsh family justice systems are invited to join a free online event to mark the publication of the final report of the President of the Family Division’s Public Law Working Group (PLWG). The event will be held via Zoom, 10.30am – 12pm on Tuesday 9 March 2021.   

“At the end of 2018 Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, initiated a sector-led review of the family justice system. Two groups were formed to look at private and public law.  The private law report published in April 2020 but the pandemic severely delayed the public law report.

“The final report identifies issues and challenges and includes a suite of resources and tools to assist practitioners in an attempt to address some of this variation, which can often be cultural or as a result of accepted local custom and practice.  These tools include new best practice guidance, advice from children and young people to practitioners plus templates and forms.”

Programme: 

10.30am – Welcome and scene setting – Jenny Coles, President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) 

10.40am – Keynote speech (1) – Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division 

10.55am – Keynote speech (2) – Mr Justice Keehan, Chair of the PLWG  

11.10am – Panel discussion chaired by Jenny Coles: 

• Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division 
• Mr Justice Keehan, Chair of the PLWG 
• Jacky Tiotto, Chief Executive, Cafcass 
• Nigel Brown, Chief Executive Cafcass Cymru 
• Helen Lincoln, Director of Children’s Services, Essex County Council 
• Sally-Ann Jenkins, Head of Children’s and Families Services, Newport City Council 
• Yvette Stanley, National Director, Early Years Regulation & Social Care, Ofsted 
• Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for England (Children and Families). 

11.55am – Closing remarks, Jenny Coles  

The Booking form is here the closing date for bookings is lunchtime on Friday 5 March