Agenda and minutes

Corporate Parenting Board - Thursday, 20th July, 2023 4.00 pm

Venue: Tuned In, Majuba Road, Redcar TS10 5BJ

Contact: Natasha Luxford 

Items
No. Item

1.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 April and to note the attendance matrix from the last meeting pdf icon PDF 65 KB

2.

Declarations of Interest

3.

Child Led Session Introduction of the CioC

Minutes:

Representatives of the Have Your Say group presented a video which they had created through the Blue Cabin Project. The aim of the video was to express their feelings and to change the stereotype of being a child in care. It explains how the young people wish to be treated and their needs from Corporate Parents

 

A member asked one of the representatives to explain the issues they face. The representative advised that there is not a great deal of suitable accommodation for those who are leaving care. When looking for a place to live independently most places have 2 bedrooms and because of the bedroom tax this would be too expensive.

 

ACTION: A Hames to provide an update of suitable housing at the next meeting

 

Another representative of the Have Your Say Group suggested having Foster Care within the Education system as she has found that not a lot of people know or understand what foster care is. She has friends who are ashamed of being in foster case because of the stereotype. It was suggested this would be a great topic for PSHE. Information will be fed back to the education directorate.

 

4.

Children in Our Care Quarterly Briefing

Minutes:

The Executive Director for Children and Families presented the quarterly report as a PowerPoint presentation.

 

Children in Our Care Rate

The presentation showed that the number of children in our care has increased over the last year. At the end of March 2023, there were 396 children in our care. Of the 396 children, 43 are aged 17 who will either be leaving our care and transferring to our Leaving Care Service over the next 12 months. Children under the age of 1 continue to represent the highest age of children entering our care with 37 in 2022/23. The second highest age for 2022/23 was 16 years olds at 22 children.

 

The number of children placed in our Borough has increased over the last year to 251, this is positive in light of the increase of children in our care.

 

Fostering Recruitment

Q4 has continued with a strong focus on recruiting and retaining foster carers. The service has recruited an additional 10 new carers, and this has created a total of 15 placements for our children. To raise the profile of fostering far and wide during fostering fortnight, each day a profile of one of our foster carers and the brilliant work they do on social media was shared.

 

The foster carers advise that the biggest challenge for them currently is the cost-of-living, particularly for food and activities for children. The fostering team have intensified their support and continue to look at practical support which benefits our foster carers.

 

A member asked whether foster carers were entitled to Max Benefit Card which parents/carers with SEND children receive. The Executive Director of Children and Families advised that this was a scheme they did a while back but unfortunately there wasn’t enough interest to make it financially viable but will look into reintroducing them.

 

ACTION: Relook at making Max Cards available to Foster Carers

 

Mockingbird

Since the re-launch of the mockingbird constellation relationships have gone from strength to strength. The Hub Home Carer is effectively supporting fostering families in both a planned way and also in emergencies to support placement stability.

 

UASC

As at Q4 the service met the mandatory requirements of the national transfer scheme and are working with 21 Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking children and 45 Care Leavers.

 The Asylum Seeking Through Care Team has continued to build a strong reputation and is recognised regionally as a trail blazer. The team respond to queries from other Local Authorities and voluntary agencies who support asylum seeking children for advice. We have strengthened the work with the central Mosque who continue to provide support and guidance to our young people.

 

Care Leavers

At 31.03.2023, there were 177 Care Leavers accessing support from the Leaving Care and Asylum Seeking Through Care Teams,132 aged between 18 and 20. In Q2 22/23, the Service launched the Care Leaver App and from recent data it is evident that the App is already having a positive impact.

 

Virtual School

The number of children being suspended, episodes of suspension and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Any other Business the Chair certifies as urgent

Minutes:

The Chair thanked W Medd for all her work with the Children in or Care and wished her well in her new role.