Issue - meetings
Children Looked After Strategy 2015-18
Meeting: 10/05/2016 - Cabinet (Item 5)
5 Children Looked After Strategy 2015-18 PDF 141 KB
Additional documents:
- 5.6a App1 CLA Strategy, item 5 PDF 622 KB
- 5.6b App2 - Book of Thoughts, item 5 PDF 9 MB
- Webcast for Children Looked After Strategy 2015-18
Decision:
DECISION
1. To note that the overall strategic responsibility for Corporate Parenting lies with the Lead Cabinet Member for Children Services and the Corporate Director for Children Services. The needs of children and young people in and leaving care are also represented on each Children and Families Plan theme group by a Service Manager and/or Service Head, Children’s Social Care.
2. To confirm that Tower Hamlets Council believes that an effective corporate parent needs a comprehensive strategy and joint working arrangements with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
3. To note the contents of the Children Looked After Strategy, and in particular the desired direction of travel and associated cost pressures within Children’s Social Care.
4. To note the action strategy included within the Strategy.
Action by:
CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN’S SERVICES (D. JONES)
(Service Manager, Children’s Specialist Services (K. Khan)
(Community Insight, Quality and Policy Manager, Children and Adults Resources (W. Hedger)
Minutes:
Councillor Rachael Saunders, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, introduced the report. She explained that providing for looked after children was hugely significant to Cabinet Members and so it was important that this report was presented at Cabinet to highlight what the Council was looking to do to support these children. She especially highlighted the work of the Corporate Parenting Steering Group (CPSG) in overseeing this area.
A particular feature of the CPSG was the active role of the young people themselves and this helped to shape understanding of their needs.
The Children Looked After Strategy set out what the Council intended to do over the next few years and the Lead Member thanked everyone who had worked to help prepare the document.
The Mayor welcomed the report and noted in particular the desire to improve educational outcomes. He agreed the recommendations as set out in the report.
RESOLVED
1. To note that the overall strategic responsibility for Corporate Parenting lies with the Lead Cabinet Member for Children Services and the Corporate Director for Children Services. The needs of children and young people in and leaving care are also represented on each Children and Families Plan theme group by a Service Manager and/or Service Head, Children’s Social Care.
2. To confirm that Tower Hamlets Council believes that an effective corporate parent needs a comprehensive strategy and joint working arrangements with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
3. To note the contents of the Children Looked After Strategy, and in particular the desired direction of travel and associated cost pressures within Children’s Social Care.
4. To note the action strategy included within the Strategy.