UPDATE NO 500 08 April 2022

System Leadership – CYP Mental Health 28 April 3pm NOW BOOKING

NHS (England), The Staff College and SESLIP have organised a 2-hour online workshop “System Leadership in Children and Young People’s Mental Health – a south-east region perspective” 3pm-5pm on Thursday 28 April.  

This event is FREE and aimed at all strategic leaders from partner agencies, commissioners and providers. You can book here

Take Your Place – aspirant ADCS course NOW BOOKING

The Take Your Place programme is NOW BOOKING a 5-day aspirant Assistant Director’s course aimed at (approx) third-tier officers. Free of charge, each SESLIP large authority has two places and small authorities a single place. Your final nominations need to be endorsed by your DCS and details sent to Mark Evans (details below). The deadline for applications is Friday 22 April. See this flyer for more details

The 5-day programme will be delivered by The Staff College and consist of:

• 1 x 2-day face to face orientation residential, including evening speaker (16 & 17 June)
• 3 x ½ day virtual workshops, including sessions facilitated by Research in Practice & Early Intervention Foundation (11 July, 12 September, 27 September)
• 1 x 1 day face to face end of programme/partner workshop (13 October)
• 1 x ½ day co-production session
• 5 X action learning set sessions during and post

Public Law Outline toolkit – free SESLIP workshops NOW BOOKING

The course is aimed at team managers, service/district managers, heads of service and legal professionals and is free to SESLIP members. Join the 60+ colleagues from across the region who have already booked.

Now booking: Cohort 1: now closed, second session due on 27 April  OR Cohort 2:  11 May (am and pm) and 25 May (am only). For more information contact Alison Smailes (details below)

SESLIP core funding for 2022-2023 confirmed

On 7 April, DfE wrote to SESLIP to confirm £234,800 core funding for SESLIP in 2022-2023. We await further communication on the subject of invitations to apply for funding in response to the recommendations from the Care Review; optional regional projects for the current year; and for core and other funding in subsequent years.

This is earmarked for Data Benchmarking (£80k); Self-assessment and Peer Challenge (£60.8k) and small packages of sector led improvement support (max 39 days per package) (£94k). Continued national level support for the Data 2 Insight project (hosted by SESLIP) was also agreed (£90k).

Supporting practice in tackling child sexual abuse film series

The centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre) has published Supporting practice in tackling child sexual abuse film series a new 12-part short film series for professionals, by professionals.

At least half a million children are estimated to experience some form of sexual abuse each year. Supporting professionals to have the knowledge, skills and confidence in identifying and responding to concerns of child sexual abuse is fundamental in addressing this. An introductory video can be accessed here.

Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit 2021

Brighton and Hove City Council has published a Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit 2021, and has been recommended for sharing by the AD Education Network. More information from TransToolkit@brighton-hove.gov.uk

This toolkit has been developed by Allsorts Youth Project, and is made available to others, alongside a request to make a donation to the work of Allsorts Youth Project

Data2Insight Early Help data standards – invitation to book a user research interview

John Foster of Data2Insight writes

Last week marked the beginning of the user research phase of our Early Help data standards project. We’ve been meeting with colleagues in local authorities across the country to talk about what their Early Help looks like, and how they use data to understand the support they offer to children and families. We’re asking them to tell us what challenges they face, and what they think matters most in this area. We’ve also visited some regional groups to talk about the project, and have more lined up in the coming weeks.

We’ve had an excellent response so far, but we’re still looking for more LAs to participate in these conversations. Getting the widest possible range of views will help ensure we’re taking the right approach for the next stages. Please get in touch, if you can give us an hour of your time to help with this exciting project, or pass on to the relevant people in your organisation.

Please contact John Foster of Data2Insight or Rebecca Eligon (details below) who coordinates the SESLIP Early Help Network

Children’s Services Data Analyst Apprenticeship – cohort#3 NOW BOOKING

The Data2Insight National roject is launching applications for the third cohort of the Children’s Services Data Analyst apprenticeship. The deadline for submitting application forms is 13 May with teaching expected to start in June.

You can download the application form and some other supporting information, from: Apprenticeships | Data to Insight.  

To be booked into a briefing session, submit your completed application form or ask any queries regarding the apprenticeships please contact Georgie Pym.

Future dates for network meetings

Lead Members Group: Friday 8 July 10.00am.  More from Alison Michalska (contact details below)

Data Benchmarking: Tuesday 12 July 10:00am More information from Alastair Lee (contact details below)

Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board: Monday 25 April 10.30am-12noon More information from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

AD Education: Friday 6 May 10:00am. More information from Chris Owen (contact details below)

AD Safeguarding: Friday 10 June 10:00am. More information from Mark Evans (contact details below)

QA Network: Thursday 16 June 2:00pm – 5:00pm. More information from Amanda Meadows (contact details below)

Fostering Network: Wednesday 27 April 10-11.30am More information from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

SEND SE19: Joint LA/Health 10 May 2022 12:00 – 13:30 more information from Tracey Maytas (contact details below)

Early Help: Wednesday 25 May 1.30pm. More information from Rebecca Eligon (contact details below)

Supporting schools that are not making necessary improvements. Closes 23 May

On March 28, DfE publsihed a consultation on Supporting schools that are not making necessary improvements.

The “Draft guidance for local authorities and Regional Directors on how to work with schools to support improvements to educational performance, and on using their intervention powers” is here.

The consultation document is here. The consultation response page is here and closes on 23 May.

It proposes to make all schools with two consecutive Ofsted judgments of below ‘Good’ eligible for intervention. This will enable the Secretary of State to move these schools into strong trusts in order to ensure that children attending them receive the standard of education they deserve. This change to the Department’s policy on intervention in schools would be introduced from September 2022, pending the outcome of the consultation.

Early Help Network

The Early Help Network page is now live. The next meeting is on Wednesday 25 May at 1.30. Please contact Rebecca Eligon (details below) for further information.

There is a list of Early Help Lead contacts across the region. Please can you check the entry for your authority and send any updates to Isabelle Gregory (details below).

ANTI-RACISM REPORT

On 17 March 2022, What Works for Children’s Social Care, Social Work England and the Principal Social Worker Network published their Anti-Racism Report

Findings from 1,958 responses to a survey of registered social workers include: 19% reported that workplace racism had increased their anxiety, and 13% reported worsened mental health; and social workers from ethnic minorities typically experience increased scrutiny and negative assumptions about their skills based on their ethnicity. The full report is here.

SEND review: right support, right place, right time – new DfE consultation closes 1 July 2022

On March 29, DfE published SEND Review: Right support Right place Right time. The DfE is seeking views on its green paper about the changes we want to make to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) system in England.

You can respond to the consultation here, or you can email SENDReview.CONSULTATION@EDUCATION.GOV.UK. The consultation closes on 1 July 2022.

Opportunity for All – Schools White Paper

On 28 March DfE published Opportunity for all: strong schools with great teachers for your child which sets out plans to deliver on the government’s priority to level up across the country. The economic benefits of meeting the white paper’s ambitions, and the case for a fully trust led system, are also set out.

The White Paper is here.

Annex 1: The case for a fully trust led system is here.

Annex 2: Economic benefits of meeting the ambitions set out in the Schools White Paper is here and

Annex 3: Methodology for obtaining mean GCSE grades for English language and mathematics is here