BBC coverage highlights how data and AI can help keep siblings connected in care

This week, Simpson Associates featured in BBC news coverage as part of a national conversation on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act – with filming taking place at our York office.

Jonny Hoyle, Local & Regional Government Sector Principal at Simpson Associates, contributed to a national conversation on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, helping bring attention to one of the most important challenges in children’s social care: how to keep siblings connected when they enter care.

At the heart of this matter is a simple truth that relationships matter. Children have their own networks of support and safety which are much wider than just their parents. These include neighbours, their friends’ parents, football coaches and dance teachers amongst others. Their networks can provide stability, continuity and emotional support during some of the most difficult moments in a child’s life.

It’s an issue that carries lifelong implications; but in practice, identifying and preserving those connections is not always straightforward. Especially when vital information is spread across multiple systems, documents and case records.

That is where connected data and AI can make a meaningful difference.

Using data and AI to reveal the connections that matter most

In partnership with Simpson Associates, North Yorkshire Council has developed an AI-powered solution using Azure AI services to unlock data and insights held across children’s social care systems.

The challenge is not lack of information – it is that much of it sits in different places and formats. This includes information stored in PDFs, handwritten notes, and other unstructured or historically difficult-to-access formats.  By bringing this information together, the solution creates a more complete, searchable and connected view of the child and their wider network including key people who can help to keep children safe, or who could care for a child.

A key feature of the solution is its ability to generate visual representations, such as automated EcoMaps, providing social workers with a clearer view of family and relationships. Practitioners can access insight far more quickly and have greater confidence when identifying links that might have otherwise been missed or hidden within disconnected systems.

Early results indicate that the solution reduces time spent finding and joining up information by over 94%, freeing up practitioners to focus more of their time on direct work with children and families. The platform is also designed with secure, permission-led access at its core, ensuring that sensitive information can be safeguarded whilst being used to support informed decision-making.

A stronger data foundation for better care decisions

For social workers, this is not innovation for innovation’s sake. It is a practical example of how AI and data can support better outcomes in the real world. The impact is immediate and tangible. Instead of manually piecing together information from multiple sources, they can now quickly access a consolidated view of a child’s relationships and support networks.

As a direct result, this means that decisions around placements can be made with data-driven insight. Crucially, it increases the likelihood that siblings are identified and kept together, preserving vital family bonds during already challenging transitions into care.

It also supports earlier intervention, helping practitioners recognise patterns and connections that inform better long-term outcomes for children.

Enabling a more connected future for care

As children’s services continue to evolve and move towards Regional Care Co-Operatives, the ability to connect and interpret connected data across systems will only increase.

Better visibility of foster carer locations, capacity, and ability to support sibling groups creates new opportunities to keep children within their communities. And because this approach is not tied to one specific source system, it has the potential to be adapted and replicated more widely across local authorities and other areas of care.

Beyond immediate use cases, the success of this approach points to a broader opportunity for technology-enabled social care. It has the potential to drive wider adoption of AI and data-led solutions across the sector, helping organisations respond more effectively to complex challenges.

Data for good on a national stage

The BBC’s coverage reflects growing recognition that data – when connected, contextualised and used responsibly – can help address some of the most complex challenges in public services.

For Simpson Associates, it’s a powerful example of data for good in action: using AI not simply to drive efficiency, but to improve outcomes for children and families.

As this story reaches a national audience, it reinforces a simple but important message: when data is connected and applied with purpose, it can help surface relationships that matter most and support better decision at the moments they matter most too.