Children's services improvement

The aims of the programme are to:                       

• improve outcomes for the most vulnerable children and their families
• enable political and corporate leaders to understand and fulfil their role as corporate parent
• support leaders and leadership teams with their improvement journeys
• promote a whole council and partnership approach to improving social care and SEND outcomes
• improve outcomes for children in the early years with a particular focus on speech and language development
• strengthen strategic oversight of children’s services including corporate parenting and scrutiny arrangements.

These aims will be met through a range of support and development opportunities offered to leaders who contribute to the delivery of effective children’s services.

Local Government White Paper: summary

Local government is the key to solving some of our biggest national challenges. With the General Election taking place in July, now must be a time for change and new hope. With the right support and the right reforms, we can do much more to get better outcomes for residents in the places we represent, and for the whole country.

Leading for children: ‘Must Know’ for council leaders

Is your council in a strong position to continue to improve outcomes for children and young people and their families? This guide specifically developed for the council leader, has been shaped by current and former leaders, lead members and chief executives with experience of children’s services improvement.

It will explore your role, working with your lead member for children’s services (LMCS), chief executive (CE) and director of children’s services (DCS), in leading one of the most sensitive, expensive and high-risk areas of local government.