Caring for our Children in Care and

Care Leavers

Corporate Parenting Strategy

2017 – 18

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Contents

Message from the Children in Care Council ...................................................................................................... 3

Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................ 5

Our Pledge and Care Leavers Charter ................................................................................................................ 6

What is corporate parenting? .......................................................................................................................... 10

Principles of our corporate parenting ............................................................................................................. 12

Governance and objectives ............................................................................................................................. 13

Closing statement from the Children in Care Council ..................................................................................... 16

Closing statement from the Corporate Parenting Board ................................................................................ 16

Appendix 1: Terms of Reference ..................................................................................................................... 17

Appendix 2: Legal Context ............................................................................................................................... 20

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Message from the Children in Care Council

Dear Corporate Parenting Board,

Many of us have a hard time with the one life we have and just want someone to help us

through. We just ask for someone to listen, someone trustworthy, as trust is a valuable

commodity in our lives. Life is full of frightening turns, made harder by the pressures we

already face. So we kindly ask for help during those times, to be there when we need you.

Sometimes we just need someone to talk to, so respect and compassion are important

qualities. Other times we require help with our future; work, school, socialising. We ask for

commitment. Someone who is at least a phone call away. We don’t want to sound hard but

we’ve already dealt with neglect.

Some of us have seen the worst people have to offer and we look to you for guidance. So

your hard work and pride in your work is important to us.

Quotation, poem and artwork from young people in care via The Children’s Rights

Service

Young persons’ poem

Who cares for our children in care – you do.

Children want the same thing everyone wants, to feel safe, to laugh, to be challenged when

needed and to be helped in the sad times.

Never give up your work or who you are.

Always be true to yourself.

Always look to the future to make a difference.

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Young person’s quote:

“Too many children in care are falling through the cracks. But we can always do better by

giving advice, helping people, listening and ensure to always make changes and

improvements to services.”

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Foreword

Councillor Matthew Golby, Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board

Welcome to Northamptonshire County Council’s Corporate Parenting Strategy.

In Northamptonshire we believe that ensuring the effective care and protection for

children who are or have been looked after by the local authority, is one of the most

important responsibilities held by Councillors, officers and partner agencies. It is not

just about legislation; it is a moral responsibility. Looked after children and care

leavers face many challenges as they grow up and develop in care, then move to

independence. Members and colleagues across all services must work together to

ensure that our young people have the same opportunities as their peers to have a safe and stable home,

fulfil their potential, have fun and enjoy life.

Ofsted’s judgement of Northamptonshire’s Children’s Services after their inspection in 2016 was ‘requires

improvement’ and significant progress against a range of measures was recognised. These developments

have had a positive impact on our children but much more needs to be done to enhance their day to day

experience of life in our care and to ensure their outcomes are comparable to those of their peers. Focus is

now on ‘getting to good,’ and an updated Improvement Plan is now in place, the aims of which accord with

those of this strategy.

The Pledge to Children in Care and the Care Leavers’ Charter are central to everything we do, and have

been distilled into five key objectives. Firstly, that children and young people enjoy good health and

wellbeing. Secondly, that care leavers gain employment, whether this is directly or via apprenticeships or

other schemes. Thirdly, we will ensure that children and young people placed out of the county are not

disadvantaged; fourthly, we will do everything we can to help children and young people fulfil their

educational potential. Lastly, and for me the most important, we want our children and young people to

have positive, meaningful relationships in their lives. Being surrounded by people who understand you,

are interested in you and with whom you enjoy spending time, helps us all feel valued and safe; and we

will ensure our children and young people enjoy the benefits of such relationships.

Running through all these objectives is the understanding that our young people must be safeguarded, and

have the right to expect to live happy and fulfilled lives. It is also important that we continue to promote

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and update our new Young Northants website, a fantastic resource which has sections dedicated to our

young people in care and care leavers.

And finally, whilst we will continually strive to be excellent parents to every child and young person in our

care, we are looking forward, and within the new children’s services model of delivery we intend to create

a charitable organisation for children in care and care leavers. This company will give us the opportunity to

increase our resources for our young people and enable us to do even more for them.

Matthew Golby,

Chair of the Northamptonshire Corporate Parenting Board

Our Pledge and Care Leavers’ Charter

What are the Pledge and Care Leavers Charter?

Our commitment to our children

in care and care leavers has been

captured through the

development of our Pledge. This

has been developed with our

Children in Care Council and

builds on the Care Leavers

Charter. The Charter was drawn

up by the government in 2012

and sets out a list of promises to

young people moving out of care

and into adulthood. Our Pledge to children in our care reflects this and is a list of promises that we are

making to all children and young people in care in Northamptonshire. It also tells the adults who work with

children in care what they should be doing to support them. Our Children In Care Council and Care Leavers’

Forum have worked on a newly updated pledge which now includes a list of the top 12 priorities which

directly inform the new Corporate Parenting Strategy.

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The 2017 Pledge to Children in Care

We will…

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The Care Leavers’ Charter

We promise…

To respect and honour your identity: We will support you to discover and to be who you are and

honour your unique identity. We will help you develop your own personal beliefs and values and

accept your culture and heritage. We will celebrate your identity as an individual, as a member of

identity groups and as a valued member of your community. We will value and support important

relationships, and help you manage changing relationships or come to terms with loss, trauma or

other significant life events. We will support you to express your identity positively to others.

To believe in you: We will value

your strengths, gifts and talents and

encourage your aspirations. We will

hold a belief in your potential and a

vision for your future even if you

have lost sight of these yourself. We

will help you push aside limiting

barriers and encourage and support

you to pursue your goals in

whatever ways we can. We will

believe in you, celebrate you and

affirm you.

To listen to you: We will take time to listen to

you, respect, and strive to understand your

point of view. We will place your needs,

thoughts and feelings at the heart of all

decisions about you, negotiate with you, and

show how we have taken these into account.

If we don’t agree with you we will fully

explain why. We will provide easy access to

complaint and appeals processes and

promote and encourage access to

independent advocacy whenever you need it.

To inform you: We will give you information that you need at every point in your journey, from

care to adulthood, presented in a way that you want including information on legal entitlements

and the service you can expect to receive from us at different stages in the journey. We will keep

information up to date and accurate. We will ensure you know where to get current information

once you are no longer in regular touch with leaving care services. We will make clear to you what

information about yourself and your time in care you are entitled to see. We will support you to

access this when you want it, to manage any feelings that you might have about the information,

and to put on record any disagreement with factual content.

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To support you: We will provide any support

set out in current Regulations and Guidance

and will not unreasonably withhold advice

when you are no longer legally entitled to this

service. As well as information, advice,

practical and financial help we will provide

emotional support. We will make sure you do

not have to fight for support you are entitled

to and we will fight for you if other agencies let

you down. We will not punish you if you

change your mind about what you want to do.

We will continue to care about you even when

we are no longer caring for you. We will make

it our responsibility to understand your needs.

If we can’t meet those needs we will try and

help you find a service that can. We will help

you learn from your mistakes; we will not

judge you and we will be here for you no

matter how many times you come back for

support. do. and help you find a service that can.

To find you a home: We will work

alongside you to prepare you for your

move into independent living only

when you are ready. We will help you

think about the choices available and

to find accommodation that is right

for you. We will do everything we can

to ensure you are happy and feel safe

when you move to independent

living. We recognise that at different

times you may need to take a step

back and start over again. We will do

our best to support you until you are

settled in your independent life; we

will not judge you for your mistakes

or refuse to advise you because you

did not listen to us before. We will

work proactively with other agencies

to help you sustain your home.

To be a lifelong champion: We will do our best to help you break down barriers encountered

when dealing with other agencies. We will work together with the services you need, including

housing, benefits, colleges and universities, employment providers and health services to help

you establish yourself as an independent individual. We will treat you with courtesy and

humanity whatever your age when you return to us for advice or support. We will help you to be

the driver of your life and not the passenger. We will point you in a positive direction and journey

alongside you at your pace. We will trust and respect you. We will not forget about you. We will

remain your supporters in whatever way we can, even when our formal relationship with you has

ended.

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What is corporate parenting?

What is Corporate Parenting and who are the Corporate Parents?

Corporate parenting is the term used for the collective responsibility of the council and its partners to

ensure safe and effective care and safeguarding for children who are looked after by the council.

Every good parent knows that children

require a safe and secure environment in

which to grow and thrive. Good parents

protect and support their children against

the dangers and risks of life. Good parents

are ambitious for their children and want

them to reach their potential. Good

parents celebrate and share in their

achievements and happiness.

Northamptonshire County Council has the

same ambitions for the children in its care

as good parents have for their children.

When a child or young person becomes

'looked after', the tasks of their parent

become the responsibility of everyone

working for the council, including the

elected members and partner agencies.

Like any good parent, the corporate parent

should put its own children first and want

the best for them now and for the future.

That means being a powerful advocate for

them to receive the best of everything and helping them make a success of their lives and be the best that

they can be. This concern should include their education, health - physical and psychological - how they are

able to enjoy life, how they celebrate their culture and how they receive encouragement and praise for

their achievements.

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Councillors have a crucial role in making sure that the interests of looked after children and young people

come first. They set the strategic direction of the council’s services and determine policy and priorities for

the local community within the overall framework set by government.

Who are our looked after children and young people?

Northamptonshire County Council aims to support the majority of its children and young people within

their own families and communities. However for a small number this is not possible and they require

alternative short or long term care. Our role as corporate parents covers any infant, child or young person

looked after by the local authority - either through an agreement with their parents or through a care

order made by the courts - whether with other members of the extended family or friends, with foster

carers or in a residential children’s home. A significant number of our looked after children are

unaccompanied asylum seeking children who require our care and support in the absence of parents or

relatives in this country.

Who are our care leavers?

Our duties as corporate parents

continue as children leave care,

with a clear focus on supporting

their transition into adulthood.

There is the opportunity for care

leavers to ‘Stay Put’ in their

placements until they are ready to

make the transition

into independence. For those living

in children’s homes we are

developing the concept of ‘Staying

Close.’ We have a duty to keep in

touch with our young people and

support them up to the age of 21. The forthcoming Children and Social Work Bill will likely mean that

young people can request our support up to the age of 25. Previously, this only applied if they were in

higher education or training or had a disability.

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Principles of our corporate parenting

At the time of writing, the new Children and Social Work Bill is progressing through Parliament. Among a

wide range of changes to children’s social care at large, the bill sets out seven principles of corporate

parenting, listed below. The council will act in accordance with those principles, with the proviso that the

bill is not yet law and these principles are subject to change. A dedicated project is focussed on ensuring

the local authority is prepared for all aspects of the bill.

To act in the best interests of, and to promote the physical and mental health and well-being of

relevant children and young people.

To encourage those children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings.

To take into account the views, wishes and feelings of those children and young people.

To help those children and young persons to gain access to and make the best use of the services

provided by the local authority, and by its relevant partners.

To promote high aspirations and seek to secure the best outcomes for those children and young

people.

For those children and

young people to be safe

and for stability in their

home lives, relationships

and education or work.

To prepare those children

and young people for

adulthood and

independent living.

The Northamptonshire Improvement Plan

Further to the principles above, Northamptonshire is pursuing a revised Improvement Plan, created in

collaboration with Ofsted. Many actions in the plan are geared specifically to improving the lives of our

children and young people in care and care leavers.

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Governance and objectives

1: Children and young people enjoy good health and wellbeing Initial and Review health assessments for young people in care are timely and of high quality.

The mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people is promoted and improved.

The equitable access of unaccompanied asylum seeking children to health services is promoted and improved.

2: Care leavers gain employment and are suitably accommodated Services to care leavers will be delivered in the best way to meet their needs (changes made in

collaboration with the Design Council).

Young people are supported to access education, training and employment.

A dedicated group works to help young people at risk of becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).

A range of accommodation options are available for care leavers, including Staying Put, Staying Close and supported lodgings.

4: Children and young people placed out of the county are not disadvantaged The Children in Care and Care Leavers’ Councils proactively engage with children placed out of county.

Placement availability is increased to reduce the need for out of county placements.

All placements out of county are subject to the same level of monitoring as those in county; including, for young people who go missing, independent return interviews.

3: Children and young people fulfil their educational potential Personal Education Plans are completed on time, are of a high standard, and pay due regard to young

people’s views.

The Pupil Premium Plus is utilised for the maximum benefit of our young people’s attainment.

Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are supported in accessing education.

5: Children and young people have positive, meaningful relationships Changes of social worker and PAs are minimised through recruitment of a stable and able workforce.

Fun activities for our young people are promoted, such as youth clubs, access to leisure facilities, and the Children in Care and Care Leavers’ Councils.

Carers and school based staff receive attachment training/awareness to help them fully support the young people in their care.

Arising from the Pledge to Children in Care and the Care Leavers’ Charter, the Board has agreed five

key objectives, each with a dedicated lead officer and specific actions. These objectives apply equally

to our unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) and running through them all is the

understanding of the need to safeguard all our young people and promote their happiness.

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Each objective is assigned a designated named officer who is will ensure that task and finish groups or

individuals are assigned to work-streams as required. An Executive Support Group acts as a forum for lead

officers to convene and ensure the strategic objectives of the Board are carried out. The involvement of

young people in the corporate parenting process continues to be prioritised, in accordance with the

development of the Children in Care and Care Leavers’ Councils. It is also important that foster carers are

represented and have a voice at Board.

The Board meets bi-monthly and the Executive Support Group, every six to eight weeks. Every Board

meeting will review a scorecard of data highlighting key performance measures. Lead officers will provide

commentary for these measures and for the progress of the five key objectives. The Children in Care and

Care Leavers’ Councils will have the opportunity to participate in all Board meetings, both to highlight their

activities, and to provide challenge to the Board and lead officers. A forward schedule sets out annual and

more frequent reports which will be provided to the Board, from key areas of the council and its partners,

and on key themes. These include, but are not limited to:

The Independent Reviewing

Officer service

The Virtual School

Social care recruitment and

retention

Child sexual exploitation

Adoption and fostering panels

Services for children with special

educational needs

The health of looked after

children and care leavers

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Executive Support Group

Corporate Parenting Board

Children in Care

Council

Care Leavers’

Council

Action log updated through Board and ESG

Regular presentations and challenge to Board by young people, feedback

through lead officers and regular engagement with young people’s groups

Pledge to

Children in

Care / Care

Leavers'

Charter

Children and young people

enjoy good health and wellbeing

Care leavers gain

employment and are suitably

accommodated

Children and young people have positive,

meaningful relationships

Children and young people

fulfil their educational

potential

Children and young people placed out of

county are not disadvantaged

Foster carer

representation

Accountability structure

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Closing statement from the Children in Care Council

Thank you for listening to our views and feelings. We appreciate all the hard work you do and we hope that

this strategy will work to improve the lives of children and young people.

We value all the improvements that you have made for us.

We hope you still have the fire and passion to continue your work like you have previously shown.

Closing statement from the Corporate Parenting Board

In adopting this strategy we are making a firm commitment to the children and young people in our care

that we will strive to be the best parent we can. We will hold ourselves to account through measuring the

difference we make to the outcomes for our young people, auditing processes and our continued dialogue

with the children and young people in care, and our care leavers. We will build on the current process of

reporting back to the Children in Care Council any changes to the service as a result of their contributions

and observations (‘You Said, We Did’) and ensure the lived experience of our children is heard, appreciated

and informs all we do.

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Appendix 1: Terms of Reference

The Corporate Parenting Board is accountable to the Full Council of Northamptonshire County Council. The

purpose is to ensure that the council with its partners effectively discharges its role as Corporate Parents

for all our children in care. Accountability is demonstrated through review or reports, including the Annual

Report.

Regulations related describing duties and responsibilities of the CPB

To assure the council’s adherence to its Pledge to Looked After Children and the Care Leavers’

Charter.

To receive bi-monthly updates from lead officers for the following key objectives:

Children and young people enjoy good health and wellbeing.

Care leavers gain employment and are suitably accommodated.

Children and young people placed out of the county are not disadvantaged.

Children and young people fulfil their educational potential.

Children and young people have positive, meaningful relationships.

To receive annual reports from the Adoption and Fostering Services, Independent Reviewing

Officers, Virtual School, health services and other partners as relevant and regular thematic reports.

To acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of children and young people in, and leaving care,

and participate in celebration events.

To provide an opportunity for representatives of children in care and care leavers to report their

work.

To take account of the direct experiences of parents / carers of looked after children to ensure they

influence the improvement of services and policy development.

To maintain a strategic overview of new developments, initiatives, plans, policies and strategies

that impact on services for children in care and young people leaving care.

To refer matters to the council’s Scrutiny and Overview Board which warrant further investigation.

To advise the Corporate Parenting Board Executive Support Group of any actions that need to be

taken.

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Membership

All members should be able to:

Speak for their organisation with authority;

Commit their organisation on policy and practice matters; and

Hold their own organisation to account and hold others to account.

Board Members

Chair: Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education

If the designated Chair is not available, then an acting Chair will be appointed and responsible for

convening and conducting that meeting and agreeing any decisions raised or agreed to at that meeting.

Elected Councillors including the Chair, with cross-party membership. All Councillors are to have a

nominated deputy in the event of non-attendance. Failure to attend or to arrange a suitable deputy, unless

agreed in advance by the Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board, will result in review of membership.

Role:

Providing political and operational leadership in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of looked

after children and care leavers.

Delivering effective governance arrangements to implement any decisions regarding looked after

children and care leavers across the authority and partner agencies.

Using in-depth analysis of the needs of the council’s care population to inform future action.

Ensuring strategic plans of the children’s services authority and joint plans with partner agencies

meet the needs of looked after children and care leavers.

Ensuring decisions are led by emerging research findings and new initiatives.

Linking closely with the Children in Care Council & Care Leavers’ Council and ensuring they have all

the support they need to be effective.

Reporting Officers and Representatives

Young person(s) representing the Children in Care and Care Leavers’ Councils

NCC Foster Carer representative

Director of Children, Families and Education

Director of Adult Services

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Assistant Director, Safeguarding and Children's Services

Assistant Director, Quality and Performance

Strategic Manager, Corporate Parenting Service

Strategic Manager for Quality Assurance and Independent Reviewing Officers

Strategic Manager, Leaving Care and UASC

Head Teacher, Virtual School

Chair of the ESG to the Corporate Parenting Board

Assistant Director of Safeguarding, Clinical Commissioning Groups

Safeguarding Children’s Board Business Manager

Manager, Children’s Rights Service

Representative, Fire and Rescue Service

Role:

Ensuring the right structures and systems are in place for the council, with its partners to be

effective corporate parents.

Understanding current (and proposed) government expectations regarding the service to looked

after children and care leavers.

Accessing qualitative and quantitative information on the service, and understanding and

evaluating this information.

Ensuring robust mechanisms exist within NCC for hearing and responding to the views of looked

after children and care leavers, and their parents/carers.

Having an accurate picture of which needs we are meeting well and which we are failing to meet.

Ensuring the progress of the council’s Improvement Plan, and involving partner agencies to improve

the service and to ensure it responds to changing needs.

Knowing what looked after children and care leavers think about the service we provide, and

responding appropriately.

Meeting Arrangements

Six two-hour meetings will be held each year.

The Board will meet every two months at suitable times to enable the best attendance by young people.

Apologies for the meeting must be given at the earliest opportunity to the administrator. Any decision to

cancel the meeting will be agreed in advance by the Chair of the Board and communicated by email or

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phone call to attendees by the Board Project Officer. The meeting will be held in private. Meeting decisions

are made by consensus. A split vote should go to the Chair for the final decision.

The Board is supported by an Executive Support Group (ESG), made up of a Chair and designated lead

officers, which meets six to eight weekly to set the agenda for the Board. The agenda will be agreed two

weeks before the meeting. Agendas and papers will be distributed a week prior to the meeting using

secure email facility. Administration for Board meetings will be provided by the Board Project Officer and

any additional business support required will be provided by NCC.

Appendix 2: Legal Context

The Legal context of Corporate Parenting

‘Central government, local authorities and their partners in children’s trusts, individual professionals and

carers all share responsibility for ensuring the best for children and young people in care – as they would

for their own children. Children in care should be cared about, not just cared for.’ (Care Matters: Time for

Change, DFES, June 2007).

The collective responsibility for local authorities was first laid out in the Children Act 1989 and the Children

(Leaving Care) Act 2000. The central role of the council as an effective corporate parent has been

emphasised by government in the publications ‘Care Matters: Time for Change’ (DCSF 2007), ‘Care

Matters: Time to Deliver’ (DCSF 2008), and consolidated in aspects of the Children and Young Persons Act

(2008).

At the time of writing, the government also intends to introduce the Children and Social Work Bill, one of

the aims of which is to improve decision making and support for children in care and care leavers. The bill

sets out a framework of corporate parenting principles that overlay the existing responsibilities of local

authorities towards looked after children and those leaving care, to make clear what it means for the

authority as a whole to act as a good parent.

The bill also requires local authorities to publish their offer of support to young people leaving their care,

and removes the requirement for care leavers under the age of 25 to be in education and training before

they are entitled to a personal adviser and other help accessing local authority services.