Children's Services Financial and Operational Improvement Plan

Swindon Borough Council's Children's Services is facing a significant budget overspend that threatens the Council's medium-term financial sustainability. While the service has an active Children's Improvement Plan and ongoing reform initiatives, previous external support has not delivered the necessary results because service leaders lack full ownership, accountability mechanisms are unclear, governance oversight is insufficient, and there is no clear connection between operational changes and financial outcomes. The Council is seeking an external partner to collaboratively develop a single, integrated plan that unifies improvement activities, reform initiatives, and savings targets into one coherent strategy. This plan must establish clear accountability, robust governance structures, and visible links between service improvements and financial benefits. The partner will work closely with service managers and directors to ensure they take ownership of the plan and that it can be effectively monitored through the Council's existing governance framework.