Vision of York Strategy for Looked After Children

The vision of the York strategy for looked after children is simple - we want our children and young people to have everything that good parents want for their children. We want our looked after children and young people to work with us, along with their parents and carers, in shaping how we manage and organise the planning, resources and services that support and care for them. We want our children and young people to be happy and healthy, both physically and emotionally, to be safe and protected from harm and exploitation, and to be supported each step of the way to adult life. We want them to achieve their potential, especially at school, to make the most of the learning opportunities they are offered and to participate in the decisions affecting their care and their lives. This includes making the transition to adulthood with continuity of support, access to good jobs and higher education, while living in good housing and being financially secure. Our strategy invites us to work together with common purpose, putting the care of our looked after children at the heart of everything we do.

Purpose of Board

· To raise awareness of the Council’s corporate parenting responsibilities and develop expertise and knowledge among elected Members and officers.

· To provide a forum for elected members to oversee the progress of all looked after children, through the implementation of the Children and Young People in Care Strategy 2016-20, and to monitor the delivery of York’s Pledge to Children and Young People in Care.

· To ensure that all looked after children and young people have a positive experience and that the strategy enhances their outcomes

· To encourage all partners, whether they work for health or social care services or the voluntary sector, to work in an integrated manner in the best interests of looked after children and care leavers;

· To lead cultural and behavioural change to promote better outcomes for looked after children and care leavers;

· To hold all partners to account for their role in the delivery of services to looked after children and care leavers.

Remit

York Corporate Parenting Board will:

· Provide leadership across the city to create a more effective and efficient health and wellbeing for looked after children;

· Take responsibility for the quality of services for looked after children

· Work effectively with and through partnership bodies, with clear lines of accountability and communication;

· Share expertise and intelligence and use this synergy to provide creative solutions to complex issues;

· Agree the strategic priorities for services for looked after children, as a Board

· Make a positive difference, improving the outcomes for all looked after children and those who use our services.

York Corporate Parenting Board will not:

· Manage work programmes or oversee specific pieces of work – acknowledging that operational management needs to be given the freedom to manage.

· Be focused on the delivery of specific services – the Board will concentrate on the “big picture”.

· Take responsibility for the outputs and outcomes of specific services – these are best monitored at the level of the specific organisations responsible for them.

· Be the main vehicle for the voice of looked after children – this will be the responsibility of Show Me That I Matter (the children in care council). The Board will however regularly listen to and respect the views of individuals and the wider looked after children’s community.

Support to the Board

· Administrative and governance support to the Corporate Parenting Board will be provided by Democratic Services. A Democracy Officer will be responsible for organising meetings, publishing agenda papers, attending meetings and publishing minutes of each meeting. This officer will also advise the Board on constitutional procedures where necessary.

· Technical support in preparing reports for the Board and giving advice to the Board in relation to looked after children and care leavers will be provided by the Directorate of Children, Education and Communities.

Details

1. Name

1.1 The Board will be known as the York Corporate Parenting Board (“the Board”)

2. Membership

2.1 The Membership of the Board will consist of:

The Membership of the Board will consist of up to 8 Members.

Members must be drawn from:

§ The Executive Member for Education, Children and Young People’s Services.

§ The elected Members on the Adoption Panel and Fostering and Sharing Care Panel.

§ The elected Members on the Show Me That I matter Panel (children in care council).

§ The elected Members who visit Wenlock Terrace and The Glen.

§ Another appropriate elected Member.

The Board will also have the power to co-opt Members.

3. Constitutional Status

3.1 The Corporate Parenting Board is established in the Council’s Constitution and as such will adhere to its constitutional rules around the convening of meetings and publication of business.

4. Quorum

4.1 The Quorum shall be 3 members

5. Chair

5.1 The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board shall be elected from the membership of the Board at the first meeting and thereafter will be agreed by full Council annually.

5.2 In the absence of the Chair the Vice-Chair shall chair the meeting.

6. Frequency of Meetings

6.1 The Board shall meet no less often than four times a year.

7. Access to Meetings

7.1 The public shall have the same right of access to meetings, agendas, reports and background papers as apply to any other advisory body supported by the Council.

7.2 The public shall have the same rights to address the meeting as apply at all meetings of the Council under the Public Participation Scheme.

8. Conduct

8.1 The Board and its members will operate in accordance with the standards of behaviour and principles required by the Council’s Code of Conduct, which applies to both councillors and any person appointed as a co-opted member to a board or committee of the Council.