Public reports pack Wednesday 22-Jul-2015 19.00 Council

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Page 702.8 In December 2014 there were 482 children in care, compared to 511 in December 2013.Overall in 2014/2015 there has been a decrease in the children in care population. Thisis contrary to the national figures which continue to increase. Of the 482 children lookedafter; 162 are subject to section 20 (voluntary arrangements). Lambeth currently has 438care leavers aged 16 to 25 within that 229 care leavers are aged between 19 to 25.2.9 Over the last year our section 17 Child in Need population within children’s social carehas almost halved from 733 to 415 with very few re-referrals; this number continues todecline. This is potentially due to an improved understanding of thresholds which meanswe are confident that the children in our cohort are children in real need. This has beenas a result of concentrated activity by the FSCP team through a year-long reviewprocess which reduced the number of cases. This brings our caseload in line with otherLondon Boroughs.2.10 As at the 27 February 2015 of the 415 Children in Need cases open 310 are a newcohort of referrals. This indicates that children in need are now having their needs met ina timely way and they are not subject to drift.Corporate Parenting – roles and responsibilities2.11 Children and young people in care have a unique place in society. They have a specialrelationship with the State due to the fact that they have been taken into care either by acourt order or by voluntary agreement with their birth parents. Central Government, localauthorities, partner agencies, individual professionals and carers all share responsibilityfor ensuring the best for children and young people in care – as they would for their ownchildren. Children in care should be cared about and not just cared for.2.12 The Children and Young Persons Act (2008) reinforces the message that all councils,and particularly elected Members, carry responsibility for ensuring good outcomes forchildren looked after by the local authority. Despite high ambitions and a sharedcommitment for change there is still a significant gap between the quality of lives for CLAand those of other children. Tackling this requires sustained action across central andlocal government, from practitioners in all aspects of children and young people’s livesand from their carers, friends and family.2.13 All members of the Board have a role to play. Commissioning decides whether tocommission a service from a Residential or Children’s Home. The Director of Children’sSocial Care is pivotal in ensuring that systems and services are in place to meet theneeds of children looked after, and the Director of Housing needs to ensure that there isa range of high quality housing options available for children when they leave care. Allareas are interconnected and we all have a role as corporate parents.2.14 The role of Lambeth’s Corporate Parenting Board is to:Be a forum that has direct links to the Director of Children’s Services and LeadMember. This gives children in care an opportunity to express their views andhave some influence over the services and support they receive.Ensure the Director of Children’s Services and Lead Member for Children’sServices are responsible for leading improvements in corporate parenting.4
Page 71Set out its ‘pledge’ to children in care. The pledge covers the services andsupport children in care should expect to receive.Disseminate corporate parenting training materials to help staff to ensureeffective arrangements are in place.Hear about services and how they are performing.Ensure that decisive actions are taken to address any shortcomings in theservices provided to children and young people.Act as a champion for children and challenge any prejudice that may be madeagainst them.Corporate Parenting Board overview2.15 During 2014 - 2015 the Corporate Parenting Board was chaired by Councillor Valcarcel,and the Councillor Meldrum, Lead Member for Children and Adults Services, was amember of the Board.2.16 The Board meets five times each year and the meetings are themed around the formerfive Every Child Matters outcomes.2.17 Training sessions were delivered to Councilors throughout the year. The traininghighlighted the needs of our young people, the demographics and our role as CorporateParents. Service users were also a part of the training were they spoke about theirexperience of being in care, what needs to be improved and what has helped them todate. Over 30 Councilors attended the various training sessions.2.18 New terms of references for the Board were developed in consultation with the Boardmembers and have since been implemented. It is anticipated that a Corporate ParentingDevelopment Day on 17 June will further revise the terms of reference and membershipof the board.2.18 Over the past year the Board has considered reports on topics including:Educational progress of children looked afterFosteringAdoptionChildren’s Rights and AdvocacyParticipation of children with disabilitiesAnnual Consultation findings and action-planIndependent Reviewing TeamHousing needs for care leaversSteps to Success (S2S) and Apprenticeship updateEmotional and mental health needs of children looked afterService user engagement.Change in leadership and governance2.19 During 2014-15 there have been a number of changes in leadership and management ofthe Council which have impacted on the membership of the Board. There is confidence5
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Public reports pack Wednesday 22-Jul-2015 19.00 Council

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