Corporate Parenting Board – Terms of Reference

1. Purpose 

The Corporate Parenting Board reports to the Children, Young People & Skills Committee. It acts as an advisory board to the Council, its partners and its Committees on matters related to the Council’s Looked after Children. Its role is to ensure that the Council and its partner agencies have a joint commitment to:- 

(a) Achieving improved outcomes for children in care and care leavers; 

(b) Developing and overseeing implementation of the Corporate Parenting Strategy to drive improved outcomes;  

(c) Providing challenge to ensure that the Council’s duties as Corporate Parent are carried out effectively and consistently.

 2.   Objectives and Terms of Reference 

2.1 To assist in the development, operation, monitoring and review of the Council’s policies and strategies as they affect children in care and care leavers. 

2.2 To develop, monitor and review a Corporate Parenting Strategy and work plan. 

2.3 To promote a co-ordinated and partnership approach to the delivery of Council services as they affect children in care and care leavers and to challenge services where this is not evidenced or effective.

 2.4 To advise the Council and its Committees on issues relevant to children in care and care leavers and to ensure that policies implemented by the Council which affect these children and young people are effective and appropriate. 

2.5 To review and monitor outcomes for looked after children and care leavers, including data from the Corporate Parenting Report Card and feedback from the Standards and Complaints and Quality Assurance Framework officers in respect of children in care and care leavers. 

2.6 To ensure that clear and accessible information is readily available to children in care and care leavers on the corporate parenting they can expect from the Council. 

2.7 To ensure that systems are in place which mean that the views of children and young people are represented in the development of services that affect them. 

2.8 To ensure arrangements are made for the training and development of Members (and others as appropriate) on the Council’s Corporate Parenting role. 

2.9 To receive reports on the discharge of the Council’s functions regarding the provision of accommodation for looked after children and care leavers, and to make recommendations to the appropriate body of the Council. 

3. Reporting  

3.1 To report to the Council’s Children, Young People & Skills Committee on an annual basis. 

3.2 To make recommendations to other relevant Committees where responsibility for a particular function rests with that Committee, Ensuring that any such recommendations are also reported to Children Young People & Skills Committee for noting and tracking.

4. Membership 

4.1 Membership of the Corporate Parenting Board will consist of:- • 6 elected Members and 2 nominated co-optees 

4.2 Invitations to attend the Corporate Parenting Board are extended to all councillors Chairs of Committees and Chief Exec.

4.3 Chairs of committees will be expected to attend when agenda items are linked to their lead area.  

4.3 Every directorate is encouraged to be represented at each meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board.

4.4 Interested groups and Officers from across Council services will be invited on an agenda specific basis.

4.4 The membership of the Corporate Parenting Board is subject to review by the  Children, Young Persons and Skills' Committee, subject to formal approval by the Policy & Resources Committee. 4.5 The Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board is an elected Member. The Care Leavers Forum has a nominated young person who works with the Chair and acts as co-chair. 

5. Frequency of meetings

5.1 Corporate parenting board meets 4 times a year, 3 times it reviews an agreed themed area of work and once a year reviews the Corporate Parenting report care (data), feedback on the work over the year and sets priority areas for the coming year. 

6. Review 

The work of the Corporate Parenting Board is subject to annual review by the Children & Young Person’s Committee, which may make recommendations to Policy & Resources Committee where it considers that changes to these terms of reference are necessary.