Understanding how change happens in children’s social care

Environmental demands and culture change

This kind of change can be one of the most complex to navigate, as it rarely happens in a uniform or linear way, making it all the more important that change programmes are designed to flex with emerging realities while maintaining a clear focus on improvement.

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a striking example. Things that had previously been sacred changed almost overnight: services were delivered remotely, visits were conducted on doorsteps and teams adapted to working from home. Many of these adjustments were temporary, but some have endured, permanently altering aspects of practice and expectations.

Importantly, the pandemic didn’t just force short-term adaptations; it accelerated wider trends. One of the most significant has been the sector’s rapid adoption of digital tools and technologies. What might have taken a decade happened in just a few years. This is therefore an exciting period of change, and one that demands that we keep pace with technological developments while continuing to ask critical questions to safeguard human rights as we navigate this new terrain.

SCIE is supporting many local authorities on their journeys of digital adoption and AI innovation. For example, in 2024/25, SCIE worked with three pathfinder local authorities to examine how emerging technologies could better support care delivery. This collaboration, delivered in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, Partners in Care and Health, and sector colleagues, focused on practical applications such as assistive technology, data-driven approaches and digital tools for frontline workers.

One of the most striking aspects of this work is the need to reimagine traditional partnerships. Collaboration within children’s social care has primarily focused on foster carers, the NHS and the police – now, in this emerging AI landscape, local authorities must also build effective partnerships with technology companies and developers. This is a shift in culture as much as in capability, and it sets the stage for how environmental change interacts with, and sometimes drives, policy and legal developments.

New policy and legislative direction

Policy and legislation are perhaps the most recognised formal drivers of change. However, navigating them is rarely straightforward, particularly when they intersect with rapid environmental shifts such as those seen during COVID-19 and the digital transformation that followed.

Currently, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is progressing through Parliament; the Families first for children pathfinder is driving changes in organisational structures and practice; and the policy for whole-system reform is set out in Keeping children safe, helping families thrive. Each of these will create both opportunities and challenges that must be carefully considered.

Alongside these statutory levers, there are influential, but less directive, mechanisms such as Select Committee reports, sector reviews and independent inquiries. These can shape thinking and galvanise momentum, even without a statutory mandate. For example, the Education Committee’s report How to fix children’s social care and restore care leavers’ life chances, which highlights rising demand, shortages of suitable local placements and the need to prioritise family-based support, was broadly welcomed across the sector. It echoed calls that have been made for many years and reflected the lived experiences of children, young people and families.

Identifying what needs to improve is only part of the challenge. Turning ambition into impact requires a clear route to delivery, supported by the right conditions, capacity and leadership. This is often one of the most demanding aspects of designing and delivering improvement programmes, especially when the landscape is already being reshaped by cultural and technological change.