South East Sector Led Improvement Programme (SESLIP)
SESLIP is a membership group of all single/upper-tier local authorities in the South East.
We believe good children’s services are a product of reflective practice, professional supervision/peer challenge, effective leadership and independent audit.
We aim 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.
Additionally, participating authorities have each signed a tailored Memorandum of Understanding to support the SE children’s sector-led improvement programme.
Kent County Council acts as the lead authority and also Chairs the Programme Steering Group.
If you would like to apply to be a SESLIP consultant, please follow this link to Kent Business Portal – KentBusinessPortal and after registering on the portal, search for Ref – SC240046 – SESLIP – DPS
Regional Improvement Plan
It contains 17 workstreams reflecting the regional priorities identified in the annual round of DCS self-assessments and peer challenges. There are now 12 practice networks:
- Adoption
- Assistant Directors Education
- Assistant Directors Safeguarding
- Commissioners
- Data Benchmarking
- Early Help
- Fostering
- Kinship Care
- Lead Members
- Principal Social Workers
- Quality Assurance
- SEND
The are five projects:
- DCS self-assessment and peer challenge
- Small packages of sector-led improvement support
- Take Your Place – our future leaders’programme
- Workforce matters
- Working Together 23 – contact Richard Tyndall for further details
The plan recognises that all children’s services have strengths which can help inspire improvement in others; it also recognises that they are all capable of further improvement. It aims to discourage the conclusion that only poor or weak services need improvement help; instead it celebrates honest self-evaluation and constant improvement as antidotes to complacency.
The main features of the plan are:
- a non-stigmatising approach to improvement
- support for innovation and new approaches to service delivery challenges
- development of the skills of staff, managers, corporate and political leaders
- increased sharing of ideas, insight, understanding and solutions
Governance and Reports
The SESLIP Steering Group includes:
SE ADCS (Lead DCS Sarah Hammond (DCS Kent), Deputy-lead Deb Austin (Brighton and Hove) and SLIP DCS Stuart Ashley (Hampshire and Isle of Wight))
Chief Executives – Contacts (Lead Chief Executives Becky Shaw (East and West Sussex) and Michael Bracey (Milton Keynes))
LGA Lead Lead Member Cllr Jacquie Russell (West Sussex); Principal Adviser William Brooks; and Children’s Improvement Adviser Helen Watson
Also invited to attend from the DfE is David Myers (Regional Improvement Support Lead)