Issue - meetings

[To receive an update on the Corporate Parenting Strategy and approve the Corporate Parenting Action Plan.]

Alice Vickers, Corporate Parenting Officer presented the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2018 – 2021 Update report. The report outlined the developments progressed and opportunities made available to children and young people in care and care leavers since the launch of the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2018 – 2021 in April 2018.

It was noted that in May 2018, the Strategy was launched with a Corporate Parenting Workshop which identified opportunities and ideas for what was known as the Corporate Parenting Senior Officers’ Group to develop. The Group had been refreshed as the Corporate Parenting Partnership Board and included external partners as well as internal officers to ensure better outcomes for children and young people.

It was reported that a Corporate Parenting Action Plan based on the seven Corporate Parenting Principles had been developed for the first time for 2018 -2019. The Action Plan was presented at each Corporate Parenting Partnership Board meeting for officers and partners to review and add to. It was noted that priority areas were highlighted in a table on the first page and actions that had been completed were outlined on subsequent pages. It was noted that all actions were complete for the 2018 – 2019 Action Plan and the plan was approved.

It was noted that the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Partnership Board scheduled for Monday 1 April 2019 would be dedicated to identifying new priorities for the 2019 – 2020 Action Plan.

It was highlighted that it was important for Wolverhampton’s children and young people in care to hold high aspirations and a query was raised whether care leavers who had done well could act as peer mentors or ambassadors. It was noted that HeadStart was already exploring this resource with peer-to-peer mentoring.

Resolved:

1.    That the developments outlined in the Corporate Parenting Strategy Update 2018 – 2021 be received.

2.    That the Corporate Parenting Action Plan 2018 – 2019 be approved.