Over recent years, the debate around children’s social care in England has been loud—but what if the most meaningful change is happening quietly, region by region?

A New Kind of Collaboration

Regional Care Cooperatives (RCCs) are starting to reshape how care is planned, commissioned, and delivered across local areas. Early signs are emerging—and some are surprisingly positive. Central to the role of RCCs is the aggregation of demand and buying power and Revolution Consulting is working across several regions with a process that determines whether RCCs will deliver in this role.

Beyond Bureaucracy

RCCs are not just another layer of structure. In some regions, they’re fostering genuine partnership, rebalancing power, and helping children stay closer to their communities.

What’s Working—And What’s Not (Yet)

While it’s early days, I’ve seen signs of a new appetite for change, smarter commissioning, and greater focus on the need for local placements. But the picture isn’t perfect. I’ll be unpacking both the promise and the pitfalls in my workshop.

Call to Action

Join me at the National Children’s Commissioning Conference on 26th and 27th June this week as we explore some of the real-world experiences of the first RCCs. Let’s talk about what’s working, what needs watching, and what the rest of the country can learn.

If your local authority continues to feel the financial pressures on children’s services budgets, if as a provider you are tired with the endless fee rate uplift arguments, and if you’re curious about the future of care that’s built *with* regions and *with* providers, this is a conversation worth having.