Issue - meetings

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – People, informing them of the changes to statutory duties for children in care and the introduction of seven corporate parenting principles under the Children and Social Work Act 2017. 

It was reported that the principles should shape the mind-set and culture of every part of a local authority in how it carried out all of its functions in relation to looked after children and care leavers.  The guidance gave a number of examples and questions that Members and Officers should ask in evaluating how effective corporate parenting was demonstrated in relation to high ambition and support for children and care leavers.

It was noted that although the statutory duties applied directly to local authorities, they could not be delivered in isolation from agency partners who played a central part and had given their commitment to partnership working.

Appended to the report was the Department for Education’s Applying Corporate Parenting Principles to Looked After Children and Care Leavers, the statutory guidance for local authorities (February 2018).

Members raised the following points/queries:

Section 4 – Implementing the Principles: Examples of questions for local authorities – could we see a report based on these to demonstrate our effectiveness?

Yes a report would be compiled based on these.

How were the aspirations of young people taken into consideration?

There were a range of methods used for this such as: one to one’s; continuity via the social worker; and CIC Council involvement.

Are you satisfied that you could pick up serious issues with abuse?

Yes, there are a number of different avenues for this to be identified such as within schools, allegations that are made, the individual review officers and independent visitors.  It was also important to reassure the child that they could speak openly to these people around them.

Can the Children in Care (CIC) Council be invited to a Board meeting?

They would be approached and invited.  It was announced that there was a CIC event on 26 June 2018, which had been designed by the CIC Council to celebrate their achievements and those of their carers and foster carers.

Members agreed that it was important to know what our children in care’s wishes and feelings and aspirations were.  Other than the methods discussed above, it was noted that this dialogue was encouraged through education, social and leisure activities and the citizen work that they did.

The Chair requested that the Elected Members’ social worker visits be reinstated, as these had been carried out in the past.  Officers would arrange these and advise Members when more information was available.

RESOLVED: That Members note the seven principles and revised expectations in acting as corporate parents.