Sector Led Improvement in Children's Services
The nine Directors of Children’s Services are working together to create and deliver a regional scheme of peer challenge and support. This East Midlands scheme contains two distinct elements
1. Peer Challenge Team Reviews
The aims of the East Midlands scheme of Peer Challenge Team Reviews are:
a. To provide an objective evaluation of the key strengths and areas for development within the children and young people’s services of councils.
b. To build sector leadership capacity for self improvement and create a sustainable regional model.
c. To provide both the reviewed and the reviewers with learning and development opportunities.
Peer reviews will be carried out by a mixed team of senior leaders, led by a DCS, who will visit another local authority area.
2. Unannounced Safeguarding Assurance Visits
The aims of the East Midlands scheme of Unannounced Safeguarding Assurance Visits are:
a. To provide support and challenge to each local authority in the leadership and management of their safeguarding practice.
b. To support the regional aspiration to develop a stronger culture of reflective safeguarding.
Safeguarding visits will be led by the 2nd Tier Safeguarding Leads who will visit each other on an unannounced annual basis.
Further information about this East Midlands scheme can be obtained from the resources below:
Expression of Interest Form and Guidance Notes Sector-Led Improvement 
2012 Handbook 
Sector Led Improvement - Introduction to East Mids approach 