The report of the Strategic Director for Children’s Services (Document “R”) introduces two strategies – Children in Care and Care Leavers Strategy and Sufficiency Strategy.

Recommended –

That Members of the panel note and approve the contents of the strategies or alternatively offer feedback that can further strengthen these important documents.

                                                                        (Richard Fawcett – 07949 489308)

The report of the Strategic Director for Children’s Services (Document “R”) was presented to the Panel to introduce two new strategies.  The Children in Care Leavers Strategy and the Sufficiency Strategy formed the final stage of consultation.

The draft Children in Care and Care Leavers Strategy was written in consultation with practitioners and partnership leaders which set out the ambitious and clear aims for children and young people and was prioritised under the following headings:

·                A strong culture of Corporate Parenting

·        Helping children to stay within their families

·       Ensuring that our children and young people have a voice

·       Having a safe, stable and secure home

·       Having the right support to be safe, healthy and to achieve

·       A positive transition to adulthood

The strategy needed to be written in a way which reflected the needs of Bradford so was re-written and covered a period of 12 months rather than the original 3 year plan.  The reason was due to it becoming dated in an ever changing situation and as a consequence of an on-going improvement plan.

Officers advised that various meetings were due to take place to discuss actions and would include young people to get their views on an individual basis.

As a sub strategy, the Sufficiency Strategy was written to focus on issues in relation to the sufficiency of placements for children in care.  This would be published as it was a legal requirement to do so.  The strategy was supported by a strong action plan which was already in place and being monitored.  This again was a one year strategy, the same as the over-arching Children in Care and Care Leavers Strategy.

The Member questions and responses given are detailed below:

·      A Member asked what still needed to be done and the ‘how’ seemed to be missing.  In response, it was advised that the responsibility for actions still needed to be put in place.

·      There should be more reference to children in care and their contribution with an emphasis on the people who are the subject of the strategy (i.e. young people).  Officers stated that the strategy had been built on what had been said by children in care as there was a stigma to being in care. The aim was to dispel the myths and celebrate what had been achieved.

·      The question of how would it be demonstrated that the views of young people had been acknowledged and made accessible and readable to them was raised.  It was stated that this was already anticipated and work would be carried out with children in care and care leavers groups to achieve a ‘you said, we did’ environment.  Conversations between children in care and OFSTED indicated that young people felt they were listened to but no action came about as a result of what they were saying

·      Members wanted to know if any Care Leavers Ambassadors had been appointed and noted that training for all elected members as Corporate Parents needed to be of a high standard and not just a tick box.  Officers were pleased to be advised that Ambassadors were in place, with one now recruited as an apprentice with the Council.

Resolved –

That Members of the panel note and approve the contents of the strategies and have the opportunity to offer feedback and comments that can further strengthen these important documents directly to the Assistant Director, Children’s Services.

Action: Strategic Director, Children’s Services