UPDATE NO 443 05 March 2021

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

Take Your Place: Free Leadership Training – The CPD opportunities we have developed with the Staff College are free at the point of access. SESLIP have purchased a subscription which includes free places on the following courses:

• Women in Leadership 24 and 25 March 2021
• Black and Asian Leaders 23 and 24 June 2021 

The first Take Your Place workshop went ahead on 1 March. It was well attended with seventeen people representing twelve of our nineteen authorities. Feedback included that attendees thought the workshop was ‘inspiring’ and ‘exactly what future leaders need’. Thanks to Alison and Lucy for devising and delivering the session. If you are interested in supporting the programme as it develops please contact Mark Evans (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.

The courses are being run virtually (via Zoom). We have booked two cohorts of both workshops. To book places please contact Mark Evans (details below)

Evidence summary: COVID-19 – children, young people and education settings

DfE has published Evidence summary: COVID-19 – children, young people and education settings

The paper should be viewed in context. It is the best assessment of the evidence at the time of writing (February 2021).

The picture is developing rapidly and the Department for Education regularly reviews data, analysis, evidence and advice from a number of different sources.

A DfE paper summarising evidence in relation to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly around children, young people and education settings, drawing on sources such as:

• the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE)
• Public Health England
• the Office for National Statistics
• the Joint Biosecurity Centre
• other relevant sources

The full report is here

Future dates for Network meetings

Lead Members Group:  10.00am Friday 19 March 2021, “Child Poverty”, presented by Lisa Faulkner. 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: Covid conversation #16 -10 March 2021 12:30-13:30 (LAs & Health). More information from Tracey Maytas (contact details below)

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

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

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.

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

“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.

“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.” 

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.