To review the progress of the corporate parenting strategy.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017, introduced a new duty on councils to have regard to the following corporate parenting principles when exercising their functions in relation to looked after children and young people;

·        to act in the best interests, and promote the physical and mental health and well-being, of those 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 people gain access to, and make the best use of services provided by the local authority and 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; and

·        to prepare those children and young people for adulthood and independent living.

That:

(a)       the progress of the corporate parenting strategy as outlined at appendix 1 to this report be considered and cabinet set out any further actions to improve the delivery of the strategy; and

(b)       the executive’s response to the recommendation of the children and young peoples’ scrutiny committee at appendix 2 be approved.

1.           The cabinet could decide not to receive an update on the progress of the corporate parenting strategy action plan. As part of the role of all councillors being corporate parents it was agreed within the action plan that an annual update would be provided to the executive.  If cabinet decided not to receive an update then this would be in contradiction to the previous decision when the strategy was adopted