REPORT - Children's Services and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR): Key Considerations
- Emmet Regan
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
Our latest report explores Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the significant opportunity it brings to reshape and improve the delivery of Children's Services.
The English Devolution White Paper emphasises the need for integrated, efficient services that prioritise children's needs and avoid service fragmentation.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has called for the creation of unitary authorities, pointing to improved efficiency and cost savings as key reasons. The government’s overarching mission of ensuring the best start for all children, alongside a desire to rewire public services to focus on prevention, forms a large-scale anvil on which to shape and temper change for those who need it most.
As policymakers grapple with the size of the challenge, we have proposed a framework to aid in the inevitable debate and discussions focusing on two key models.
The disaggregate model involves splitting a single unitary authority into multiple smaller units, each managing different services. The aggregate model involves two or more local authorities coming together, aggregating their Children's Services. Both options have specific considerations regarding efficiency, service quality, and local accountability.
While the imperative to keep services “safe and legal” remains critical, focusing solely on statutory compliance risks overlooking the wider possibilities of reorganisation and improvement, and outcomes for children and young people. If approached strategically, LGR can act as a catalyst for designing more integrated, efficient, and child-focused systems.
The structure of Children’s Services will be determined by broader council reorganisation, and it is crucial to assess these implications to ensure the needs of children, young people and families are prioritised and met. Broader thoughts and considerations relating to governance, financial sustainability and multi-agency collaboration are considered in this paper; both during the transitional phase and once new local government structures are in place. It will explore what is required to ensure continuity, accountability and stability throughout the reorganisation process.
Key success factors for successful LGR include strong leadership, effective multi-agency collaboration and rigorous planning to ensure positive outcomes for children and young people. The paper also considers how to embed long-term approaches that support integrated, high-quality services for children and families within the new arrangements.
It is clear that by emphasising the need for early thinking, robust financial planning, system-wide collaboration, workforce support, careful design of delivery models, and learning from recent history that improved services are possible.
Only with this level of rigour and commitment can LGR deliver the lasting, positive change that children, young people and families deserve.
We look forward to you reading this report and engaging in the conversation in the coming months. If you'd like to talk more about LGR and Children's Services, please contact Emmet Regan.
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