Transparency data

Step up to social work programme: regional partnerships 2026 list

Published 2 July 2025

Applies to England

1. North East

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
North East	Manchester Metropolitan University	North Tyneside Council (lead) Durham County Council Gateshead Council Hartlepool Borough Council Middlesbrough Council Newcastle City Council Darlington Borough Council Northumberland County Council Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council South Tyneside Council Stockton Council Sunderland City Council

2. North West

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
Greater Lancashire	Manchester Metropolitan University	Lancashire County Council (lead) Blackpool Council Cumberland Council Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Learn Together Partnership (LTP)	Edge Hill University	Wirral Council Cheshire West and Chester Council Halton Council Borough Council Knowsley Council Warrington Borough Council Liverpool City Council St Helen’s Council

3. Yorkshire and the Humber

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
West and North Yorkshire	To be confirmed	Leeds City Council Wakefield Council Bradford Metropolitan District Council North Yorkshire County Council Kirklees Council Calderdale Council
Yorkshire and Humberside	Manchester Metropolitan University	Sheffield City Council Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Doncaster Council City of York Council East Riding of Yorkshire Council North Lincolnshire Council North East Lincolnshire Council Hull City Council Westmorland and Furness

4. East Midlands

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
East Midlands	Manchester Metropolitan University	Derby City Council (lead) Lincolnshire County Council Nottinghamshire County Council Nottingham City Council Derbyshire County Council Leicester City Council Northamptonshire Children’s Trust

5. West Midlands

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
West Midlands	University of Birmingham	Birmingham Children Trust Coventry City Council Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Hereford Council Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council Sandwell Children’s Trust Worcestershire County Council Shropshire Council Staffordshire County Council Telford and Wrekin Council Stoke-on-Trent City Council Solihull Council

6. East of England

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
East	Anglia Ruskin University	Essex County Council (lead) Norfolk County Council Suffolk County Council Thurrock Council Southend on Sea Council Cambridgeshire County Council Peterborough City Council

7. London

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
North, Central and East London	Middlesex University	Islington Council (lead) Hackney London Borough Council Haringey Council Enfield Council London Borough of Barnet Camden Council
North East London	London Metropolitan University	London Borough of Havering London Borough of Redbridge London Borough of Barking and Dagenham London Borough of Waltham Forest London Borough of Newham London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough of Bromley London Borough of Lambeth
South East London	London, Southbank University	Greenwich (lead) Southwark Lewisham
West London	University of Hertfordshire	London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Brent Council London Borough of Ealing Harrow Council London Borough of Hillingdon London Borough of Hounslow Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Westminster City Council
South West London and Surrey	Kingston University London	Achieving for Children London Borough of Sutton Surrey County Council London Borough of Merton London Borough of Wandsworth London Borough of Croydon

8. South East

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
Central Eastern	The University of Bedfordshire	Hertfordshire County Council (lead) Luton Borough Council Bedford Borough Council
Berkshire	Buckinghamshire New University	Bracknell Forest (lead) Brighter Futures for Children Slough Children Trust Services West Berkshire Council
Brighton and Hove and East Sussex	University of Sussex	Brighton and Hove City Council (lead) East Sussex County Council
Kent and Medway	University of Kent	Kent County Council Medway County Council
South Coast	The University of Winchester	Hampshire County Council (lead) West Sussex County Council Isle of Wight Council Portsmouth City Council Southampton City Council

9. South West

Regional partnership	University	Local authorities
South West 1	Bournemouth University	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council Wiltshire Council Dorset Council
South West 2	The University of the West of England	Somerset County Council (lead) Bath and North East Somerset Council Bristol City Council Devon County Council Cornwall Council North Somerset Council Plymouth City Council South Gloucestershire Council Swindon Borough Council Torbay Council