UPDATE NO 274 27 October 2017

Corporate Parenting

LGA has published a Corporate Parenting Resource Pack as a resource for elected members and others.

Looking after and protecting children and young people is one of the most important jobs that councils do and when a child, for whatever reason, can’t safely stay at home, it is up to us as the local authority to step in and give them the care, support and stability that they deserve.

It features a case study from Hampshire on page 18 

See also “The Voice of the Child“. This study was published by the Regional Corporate Parenting Network and coordinated on their behalf by West Sussex County Council with funding from the SESLIP in 2014. 

The research explores issues around how the voice of children looked after is captured and embedded in the work of Corporate Parenting Panels. 

It explores practice within the framework of seven research questions developed with regional partners and designed to improve understanding of local practice and to support learning from each other.  

• The Voice of the Child Report
• Child Suitable version of the Report

SE DCS Peer Challenge 2018

Save the Date Wednesday 22 November. 

There will be a training and preparation session on Wednesday 22 Novemberfor hosts, visitors and observers who are planning to participate in the 2018 SE DCS Peer Challenge. We ask all those planning to participate in SE DCS Peer Challenge 2018 who are new to the process to save the date Wednesday 22 November. 

The challenge sessions will take place early in 2018, and the fieldwork will follow. Please contact Anna Wright (details below) for more information on the programme and the training session.

School Effectiveness

The SE ADCS will be holding a seminar on “School Effectiveness” on Friday 8 December (1.30-3.30) in Central London. DCSs and School Effectiveness lead officers are all invited. More information from Richard Tyndall (contact details below).

The AD Education Network meeting on 1 December will welcome Cate Duffy (DCS Slough) and Lucy Butler (DCS Oxfordshire) to a preparation session which will set the agenda for the seminar. More information from Richard Tyndall (contact details below).

Transforming the mental health services for children who have been abused

Helen English (Quality Lead, Nursing and Quality Directorate, NHS England – West Midlands) has written,

“Please see ‘Transforming the mental health services for children who have been abused’, a report which examines the extent to which Clinical Commissioning Groups in England are taking into account the particular needs of children and young people who have been abused and neglected when planning local mental health services.” 

The report is subtitled “A review of Local Transformation Plans for Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing”. It highlights CCGs with Good, Poor or Absent Plans.

48-hour missing challenge

Heather Hadfield (contact details below) of SEGfL writes:

Last week, the NEN Safeguarding Group considered an issue raised through a few schools across the country. It is regarding the so called ’48 hour missing challenge’ that is circulating around social media sites and through some media channels. There is no evidence in any of our regions so far that this is actually happening so it could be a case of ‘fake news’ which is alarming some parents and senior staff in schools. In case it is raised locally, the UK Safer Internet Centre has released a statement (see right), however UKSIC is unlikely to be producing a public statement on this, as it would just fuel the story. However, if you find that you might have a case relating to this, please contact UKSIC. 

The SIC statement is as follows: 

“The so called “48 hour missing challenge” appears to have arisen following recent reports of young people going missing. The UK Safer Internet Centre is not currently aware of any evidence to directly link such disappearances with an online challenge. When such stories arise it taps into parents’ fears, causing a ripple effect. This can prompt intrigue among young people that may have the adverse effect of leading them into exploring the very harmful behaviours that we are trying to protect them from.”

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Heather Hadfield (contact details below) of SEGfL writes:

“I know many local authorities are trying to get their heads round GDPR. Here at SEGfL, we are collating information that will have a schools focus to help support them in the process of getting ready for compliance in May 2018. There will be a variety of resources for schools and member local authorities to use as well as staff training on offer.” 

In the meantime, SEGfL is hosting a briefing session in London (likely to be December) for staff supporting schools in GDPR, delivered by the lawyers Browne Jacobson. Places are limited, so if you would like to send someone along to this, please contact Heather Hadfield (details below) to reserve a place.

SEND19

The SEND19 has recently published its calendar of events.

Please visit the SEND19 project page or download the calendar here.

Leadership Development

We continue to offer our successful portfolio of Leadership Development Courses all of which have been positively evaluated by delegates.

We are offering LAs the opportunity to train their own trainers for all our courses. Our aim is to increase the capacity and capability across the region  to ensure future sustainability within LAs. Courses can also be delivered with adult services and/or for schools. Please contact Di Smith, details below, if this is of interest to you.

All courses are run in-house in the LA who provides the venue. Each course is accompanied by a range of training resources for the delegates including a comprehensive handbook. The current courses on offer are as follows and details of each course and the costs for each can be found by downloading the April 2016 Leadership Development Prospectus. 

Coaching to Improve Performance

Embedding a Coaching Culture

Leading Change in Times of Austerity

Step Up to Leadership   

We can also arrange one-to-one coaching, especially to support newly appointed 2nd and 3rd tier managers

If you require further details or wish to book a course please get in touch with Di Smith (contact details below)