Decision – Corporate Parenting Strategy

The Corporate
Parenting Strategy defines the Council’s aspirations to
become a supportive, responsive, considerate and sensitive
corporate parent on behalf of Torbay Council. It sets out how the
Council will work with cared for and care experienced children and
young people and alongside its partners, including education,
police and health services, and the community and voluntary sector
to achieve this ambition.

The Strategy outlines the commitment of our Partnership to these
objectives, and achieving our ambitions through strong strategic,
corporate and political leadership and meaningful performance
management, a commitment to the ongoing engagement and involvement
of children and young people in the development and implementation
of our Strategy and associated action plans and effective working
together with our partners across Torbay.

That authority be
delegated to the Director of Children’s Services to launch
the 6 week public consultation when appropriate to inform the
development of the new Corporate Parenting Strategy.

Under the Children and
Social Work Act 2017, the legislative responsibility for local
authorities in respect of their corporate parenting duties was
outlined. In February 2019, the Department for Education published
Statutory Guidance for local authorities and outlined the key
principles of Corporate Parenting. In addition, under the Children
Act 2004, it was highlighted that local authorities have a duty to
promote co-operation between their relevant partners and the Act
also highlighted that corporate parenting was a task which should
be shared Council-wide and across the partnership. To ensure that
across the Council, including elected Members, senior officers and
all staff, there was a shared vision, collective responsibility and
commitment to our cared for children and care experienced young
people, including the provision of quality services for them. The
Corporate Parenting Strategy will be informed and updated following
a consultation exercise.

Alternative options
were not considered.

The decision will be
implemented immediately.

Torbay Council’s
existing ‘Corporate Parenting Strategy 2022 –
2025’ was due to expire this year and as such, a new strategy
was being developed. The Corporate Parenting Strategy defines the
Council’s aspirations to become a supportive, responsive,
considerate and sensitive corporate parent on behalf of Torbay
Council. It sets out how the Council will work with cared for and
care experienced children and young people and alongside its
partners, including education, police and health services, and the
community and voluntary sector, to achieve this ambition. To ensure
the development of a comprehensive and inclusive Corporate
Parenting Strategy, a thorough consultation process was required.
The consultation must happen at the same time as the development of
the Strategy itself, as the voice of cared for and care experienced
children and young people must influence the creation of the draft
Strategy. As such, the consultation needed to take place within the
period of other planned activity to ensure that it informed and
influenced the Strategy which would then be placed before Cabinet
in November 2025 and subsequently Council in December 2025.
Therefore, permission was sought from Cabinet to allow the Director
of Children’s Services delegated authority to initiate this
consultation, in line with the strategy development.

At the meeting
Councillor Bye proposed and Councillor Chris Lewis seconded a
motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out
above.