The Family Services Select Committee met on Thursday, 12 March 2026, to discuss significant reforms in social care and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), alongside strategies to address serious youth violence. Key decisions included the endorsement of a bi-borough approach to social care transformation and a commitment to responding to national SEND reforms with a focus on local needs and funding.

Bi-borough Social Care Transformation

The committee received an update on the ongoing transformation of children's social care services, which is being undertaken in partnership with Westminster City Council as a bi-borough initiative. This programme aims to align services with the Department for Education's (DfE) expectations for local authorities to adopt a revised model of service provision by April 2027. The reforms are being implemented within a context of reduced funding and the need to identify additional savings. A key focus is the development of an end-to-end service offer, integrating existing Targeted Early Help and Child in Need services into a new Family Help service. This aims to provide seamless support for families without repeated handovers of practitioners. Additionally, a Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT) is being developed.

The report highlighted that the national Families First reforms are being informed by the DfE's Best Start in Life programme, which mandates integrated Family Hubs as a single point of contact for universal and targeted family support. Kensington and Chelsea already has two such hubs, positioning it well to meet these new expectations. However, the DfE's targets for children's school readiness, specifically improving the Good Level of Development (GLD) rate, require significant effort.

To manage the increased activity and reforms, a dedicated Head of Children's Social Care Reforms and Transformation has been recruited. The bi-borough approach extends to the management of Family Hubs and the Clinical Practice service, with single Heads of Service appointed for both from April 2026. The report also noted that the legislative basis for these reforms is the Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is currently at the Consideration of amendments stage in Parliament. The committee was invited to consider the report and provide feedback, with a particular focus on assurances regarding child safety during the transformation process and the quality of services.

SEND Reform

The committee discussed government proposals to reform support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as outlined in the White Paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving. The overarching aim of these reforms is to increase the inclusion of children with SEND in their local schools and ensure they receive tailored support. The government's five key principles for reform are early intervention, local provision, fair distribution and accountability, effective evidence-based practice, and shared responsibility across education, health, and care.

Kensington and Chelsea's SEND Strategy 2025-2030 is aligned with these principles, prioritising early identification, timely support, and reduced waiting times. The council's response to the White Paper will advocate for strengthened local flexibility and adequate funding for services. The report noted that the current national SEND funding system is unsustainable, and while Kensington and Chelsea has reduced its cumulative deficit, the DfE's flat cash budget for 2026/27 represents an effective reduction in funding.

The committee was asked to comment on the council's preparations for implementing these changes and to identify priorities for its formal response to the White Paper. Key considerations include how the council can support local inclusion, whether the identified priorities for the response are correct, and how the voices of local families and schools can be incorporated. The consultation on the government's proposals closes on 18 May 2026.

Serious Youth Violence

The committee received a report detailing the national and local context of serious youth violence (SYV) and exploitation, with a particular focus on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. The report defines SYV as any violence and exploitation affecting young people under the age of 25, domestic abuse and sexual violence, encompassing a range of offences. While recent SYV incidents in Kensington and Chelsea are lower than pre-pandemic levels, there has been an increase in the use of firearms and a rise in serious high-harm offences affecting those under 25 in 2024.

National research indicates that the pandemic has exacerbated risk factors for SYV and exploitation, including poor mental health, isolation, unemployment, substance misuse, school instability, abuse, and neglect. Children with SEND, those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), homeless individuals, looked-after children, and those with mental health concerns are identified as particularly vulnerable. The report also highlights the disproportionate impact of SYV on Black children and young people.

Locally, there has been a 21% increase in looked-after children (LAC) since April 2020, with a growing cohort of teenagers entering care due to risks of extra-familial harm. Referrals for domestic abuse as a factor in assessments have also increased. Demand for children's mental health services has risen significantly, and engagement with these services for young people at risk of SYV has been challenging. The number of children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has also increased, with children with SEND being more vulnerable to criminal exploitation. Poverty, indicated by free school meal eligibility, is also a notable risk factor.

The report outlines the council's multi-agency response, including the Community Safety Youth Violence Reduction Team, which works intensively with young people at the highest risk of harm. The team uses a tiered approach to support, from one-to-one specialist intervention for high-risk individuals to universal youth and school programmes. The Serious Youth Violence and Exploitation Panel (SYVEP) meets monthly to discuss young people at risk, with a notable overrepresentation of referrals from Black ethnicity groups. The committee was asked to note the report's content and provide reflections on the work being done.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed its work programme and discussed potential topics for the upcoming municipal year. Suggested items from the Family and Children's Services Directorate include an introductory briefing for the new committee, an update on the Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Plan, further updates on Social Care Reform and Best Start in Life, the 2027-30 Children and Young People's Plan, a budget paper on looked-after children and care leaver placement spend, and an update on SEND Reforms. The committee also agreed to undertake visits to additional schools with integrated early years provision and to amend the work programme for the 12 March meeting by removing Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Plan – One Year On and adding Bi-borough Social Care Transformation.