What is Commission East?
Commission East is an Eastern Region initiative designed to engage with the External market differently by establishing a single Local Authority (LA) voice and perspective for the region.
It is a partnership with 11 Local Authorities that consent to, and support, targeted activities aimed at fostering more cohesive regional strategies and frameworks of working, both internally within LA’s but also externally with providers.
It serves as a regional interface to connect with the market and collaborate with LAs at a regional, sub-regional, and local levels. It also serves as an interface to other regional initiatives.
Commission East consists of a small project team that collaborates with all commissioners, practice leads and relevant stakeholders across the 11 LAs and the external market.
The Programme Manager is Gemma Coxen, for all enquiries please contact commission.east@norfolk.co.uk
Commission East Framework Development – Position Statement
About Commission East
Commission East is a partnership of all 11 Local Authorities in the Eastern Region. Our aim is to create a unified regional voice and foster genuine collaboration with providers. As part of this approach, we intend to co-design and implement regional sufficiency frameworks that:
- Strengthen capacity
- Improve quality and value
- Ensure children and young people receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time
We cannot achieve this alone—nor do we want to. These frameworks will only succeed through strong collaboration with providers. Therefore, we would like to begin this journey together by co-producing both a Residential and Fostering framework.
Next Steps
- From early in the new year, we will launch a series of collaborative sessions focused initially on Residential and Fostering services.
- Placeholders for these sessions will be shared shortly to enable providers to participate in shaping these frameworks.
- We will draw on best practice from across the country, including RCC pathfinder sites and other regions that have implemented or are planning regional frameworks, ensuring transparency, innovation, and shared learning.
Our Intention
- Build a transparent, co-produced regional commissioning framework
- Share learning and good practice across the region and beyond
- Create a culture of innovation and co-design to develop a responsive care system
Commission East Useful Resources
Eastern Collaborative Children’s Residential Network (ECCRN)
The ECCRN is a 3 monthly forum for exchanging knowledge, good practice, challenges, resources and information. All Registered Managers of all homes are invited to be collaborative members
The ECCRN is hosted by Improvement East, a collaboration of the 11 local authorities working together to look at Placement Sufficiency.
Jonathan Stanley of the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care (www.ncercc.co.uk) is providing expert support and input to the ECCRN
Eastern region local authorities are working together to explore how as a collaborative they can work together to increase sufficiency and improve outcomes for children. The ECCRN is integral to this project collaboratively supporting Residential Child Care practice. We have our own space and will use it for a variety of purposes.
Chairs : Steve Gentry and Colette Moreira-Henocq
The network meetings online on a quarterly basis
Next Meeting dates:
Thursday, 8 October 2026
Monthly Managers Momentum Meeting dates:
17 September 2026
The ECCRN Produces a monthly newsletter with a different theme each month surrounding hot topics surrounding Residential Child Care
We have created a series of practice prompts and resources which we hope you find useful
ECCRN EVENTS:
