Report to:

Corporate Parenting Panel

 

Date of meeting:

 

2 April 2025

By:

Director of Children’s Services

 

Title:

Update on Early Help and Children’s Social Care reforms

 

Purpose:

To update the panel on transformation activity in East Sussex in response to the national reforms in Early Help and Children’s Social Care

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

The Corporate Parenting Panel is recommended to note the update on transformation activity in East Sussex in response to the national reforms in Early Help and Children’s Social Care.

 

1.         Background

1.1       Transformation activity across the Children’s system is being implemented with a focus on driving improvements in outcomes and reducing costs. Transformational change initiatives across the Children’s system include:

·         Responding to the Government’s strategy Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive (November 2024), and the current Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to help reshape the delivery of early help and social care services by integrating targeted early help with social work teams (Family Help teams) to drive improvements in outcomes and ensure that families receive the right help at the right time. Creating a more responsive, seamless system for families and ensuring efficiencies in the provision of services.  To also deliver on the government’s guidance regarding the establishment of Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams. 

·         The development of integrated commissioning activities across Early Help, Children’s Social Care, Education and Health for Children’s Services.

·         Transformational change initiatives across the children’s system including supporting partners to hold lower-level risk at an earlier stage.

·         Overseeing the work to develop a robust placement sufficiency strategy that delivers high quality placements helping Children’s Services become financially sustainable.

·         Leading the council’s involvement and implementation of the South East Regional Care Co-operative (RCC).

 

2.        Supporting information

2.1      Appendix A provides more information on activity in East Sussex in response to the    Government’s strategy Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive (November 2024), and the current Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to help reshape the delivery of early help and social care services.

            Appendix A explores four key strands, prevention, family help, multi-agency child protection teams and family Networks and Kinship Care.

 

3.       Conclusion and reasons for recommendations  

3.1       Corporate Parenting Panel is recommended to note the update on transformation activity in East Sussex in response to the national reforms in Early Help and Children’s Social Care.

 

 

CAROLYN FAIR
Director of Children’s Services

 

Contact Officer: Deborah Ennis
Email: deborah.ennis@eastsussex.gov.uk

 

 

LOCAL MEMBERS

All

 

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

Keeping children safe, helping families thrive (November 2024)

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill