Discover how to truly integrate public health in local government with NHS systems. This blog explores the barriers structural, cultural, and policy-driven and highlights successful case studies like St Helens Cares and Cheshire & Merseyside ICS. Learn how neighbourhood health models, stronger ICSs, strategic commissioning, and national-local partnerships can transform care, reduce inequalities, and rebuild public trust.

Discover the true financial scale of England’s care and support services. This blog explores the rising costs of adult social care (£34.5bn), children’s social services, SEND provision (£10.5bn+), and temporary accommodation (£2.8bn). With over £50bn spent annually, we unpack what’s driving these pressures, the implications for local government, and why urgent reform is needed to protect vulnerable communities and ensure sustainable public service delivery.

Discover how local authorities can unlock the hidden value of adult social care data to drive efficiencies, improve outcomes, and reduce costs. This blog explores insights from the Social Care Value Index project, highlighting the need for better data integration, shared goals, and cross-functional collaboration between Directors of Adult Social Services and Section 151 Officers. Learn how data can transform decision-making and support evidence-led reform in adult social care

Explore the 2025 Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and uncover the stark realities of inequality across England. This blog analyses key data insights, highlights persistent regional disparities, and calls for targeted local investment, national policy reform, and cross-sector collaboration. A must-read for local government leaders, policymakers, and advocates seeking to tackle entrenched deprivation and drive meaningful change.

SEND transport costs in England have surged to £2.3 billion, with councils struggling to meet rising demand. This blog explores the National Audit Office’s findings, real-life family experiences, and urgent reforms needed to make SEND school transport sustainable, inclusive, and fit for purpose. Featuring quotes from parents, council leaders, and sector experts, it highlights the human impact and policy solutions to support children with special educational needs.

Discover how Dudley Council transformed Halesowen Leisure Centre into a thriving Family Hub Spoke, integrating Start for Life and early help services into a trusted community space. This innovative co-location model reduces stigma, boosts engagement, and supports whole-family wellbeing. Learn how leisure centres can act as community anchors, enabling joined-up working and flexible service delivery. A replicable model for local authorities seeking inclusive, place-based family

BCP Council’s refugee resettlement model offers a replicable, trauma-informed approach to preventing homelessness among refugees and asylum seekers. By integrating housing, health, social care, and voluntary sector support, the multi-disciplinary team has reduced rough sleeping, minimised temporary accommodation use, and enabled rapid move-on to settled housing. With lived experience at its core, BCP’s strategy is now recognised nationally as best practice.

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) continues to place significant pressure on local authority services, particularly where incidents are concentrated among a small number of households. ASB encompasses a wide range of disruptive and harmful activities from vandalism and intimidation to noise complaints, substance misuse, and aggressive begging. These behaviours often reflect deeper social challenges such as poverty, trauma, mental health issues, and intergenerational disadvantage. In

The SEND White Paper is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset a system that has failed too many for too long. It must be more than a policy refresh, it must be a bold, values-driven transformation. This is a call to act with courage, challenge outdated systems, and build a future where every child with SEND is supported to thrive. Let this be the moment we chose to be bold, to lead with purpose, and to deliver the change children and families both need and deserve.

Stepping into the role of DPH means leading with vision, navigating political complexity, and driving change across systems. This guide offers aspiring leaders a clear roadmap: the essential skills to develop, what to focus on in your first 100 days, and the common pitfalls to avoid. If you're ready to lead with courage, compassion, and clarity, this role might just be your calling.

Becoming a Director of Adult Social Services is one of the most demanding and rewarding roles in local government. It requires strategic vision, emotional intelligence, political skill, and a deep commitment to improving lives. This guide explores what aspiring leaders need to know, what to focus on in their first 100 days, and what pitfalls to avoid. If you're ready to lead with purpose and put people at the heart of care, this could be your next step.

Being a Director of Children’s Services is more than a job it’s a calling. You lead with purpose, shaping lives and safeguarding futures. As Yvette Stanley said, “Great leadership in children’s social care goes hand in hand with great social work. It’s a golden thread from the top of the department to the frontline.” If you’re ready to lead with courage, compassion, and clarity, then the future of children’s services might just be yours to shape.

The debate over whether to insource  or outsource local government services is as old as the sector itself. From the wave of outsourcing...

As we approach 2026, Chief Executives in local government are navigating one of the most complex and high-pressure environments in recent...