The Corporate Parenting Panel has the
following duties and responsibilities:
Purpose
1.
To ensure that the Council is fulfilling its duties
towards Children Looked After corporately and in partnership with
other statutory agencies.
2.
To consider matters referred to the Panel within its
terms of reference and to make recommendations to Cabinet/Portfolio
Holder as appropriate including:
a.
Approving annually the Statement of Purpose for the
Adoption Service
b. Approving annually the Statement of Purpose for the Fostering
Service
c.
To ensure all councillors are aware of their
corporate parenting responsibilities through Mandatory training and
communication.
Role of the Panel
1.
To take an overview of the Council’s and
partner agencies responsibilities towards looked after
children
2.
To examine ways in which the Council as a whole and
partner agencies can improve the life chances of looked after
children and care leavers.
3.
Ensure there are good joint working arrangements
between council departments and partner agencies.
4.
To consider and regularly review on an annual basis
a Corporate Parenting Strategy setting out key priorities and areas
for action. The Corporate Parenting
Strategy will be submitted to Cabinet and full council for
consideration and decision on approval.
5.
To provide a forum for Children Looked After (CLA)
to participate and influence policy and enable CLA to have
opportunity to talk about issues relating to their own direct
experiences of services they have received. Hence the Board will ensure that the positive
experiences/services are maintained and lessons are learnt and
changes made in the areas that require improvements.
6.
To comment on and contribute to plans, polices and
strategies for looked after children and make appropriate
recommendations for action.
7.
To have a monitoring role, by receiving regular
progress reports and data on all key Performance Indicators for all
CLA e.g. educational attainment (including implementation of
Personal Education Plans) and health assessments.
8.
Monitor the plans/needs of children in Secure
Accommodation.
9.
To receive regular reports on the needs of care
leavers including employment, further education, training and
housing.
10.
To receive annual reports on the following
services
·
Adoption
·
Fostering
·
Complaints
11.
To meet with CLA and their carers on a regular basis
to consult and celebrate achievements, festivals etc.
12.
To manage and arrange Member visits to
·
Children’s Homes
·
Foster Placements
·
Frontline Services (as indicated in the Victoria
Climbie Audit)
Membership
The Corporate Parenting panel will comprise:
A
proportionate number of 6 Elected Members
Service
Users, Carers and Schools (Non-Voting)
·
At least 1 Care leaver
·
1 Foster Carer
·
1 Virtual Head Teacher
Senior
Officers (advisors to the Panel – to attend as appropriate to
the work of the Panel)
·
Director of Children’s Services
·
Divisional Director Children and Young
People
·
Head of Service Corporate Parenting
·
CLA Nurse
·
Housing Needs Manager
·
Business Intelligence
Information on how to
submit a petition,
deputation or public question is available on the council
website.