Corporate Parenting Strategy
For Stirling and Clackmannanshire
Revised version
2013-2018
(Review 2015)
Contents
Statement from Councillor Simpson
Executive Summary
1. Introduction
2. National Context
3. Local Context/ Stirling Position
4. Council Services: Current Early Intervention and prevention
5. Other Partners as corporate parents
6. Engagement and Participation
7. Implementation
8. Action Plan Framework
9. Appendices
1. Statistical profile
2. Hear My Voice Event Report
3. Children and Young People’s Integrated Service Plan 2013 (draft)
4. Corporate Parenting review group
5. Social Services: Position Paper, Through Care, After Care,
September 2011
6. HMIe Self evaluation framework
N.B. To view all above appendices, please follow this link (http://web.stirling.gov.uk/draft_Corporate_Parenting_strategy__revised_v_0.5.pdf
Statement from Councillor Simpson
I am pleased to introduce the revised Corporate Parenting Strategy for Stirling
and Clackmannanshire for 2013-2018. This is an ambitious 5 year plan which
sets the framework within which Stirling Council and Clackmannanshire Council
will work with our community planning partners to improve the lives of our looked
after children and young people.
The revised Corporate Parenting Strategy is not an end in itself; it provides an
agreed direction of travel and a common commitment to action. We will work in
partnership to fulfil our statutory duty as corporate parents to nurture, respect and
be ambitious for our looked after children and young people as we would for our
own children.
As Stirling Council’s Portfolio Holder for Social Care and Health, I am clear that
the wellbeing of our looked after children and young people is of the highest
priority. As statutory partners we have a particular duty of care to all our looked
after children and young people.
We know that looked after children and young people are amongst the most
vulnerable in our community, and that all too often their life chances are
restricted. We have a responsibility and a commitment to changing this pattern.
Through implementation of this strategy, we will strive to ensure that our looked
after children and young people have the best possible start in life that we can
deliver. We will support and care for them as they grow up and take their first
steps towards self reliance and independence. We will also make sure that we
continue to be there for our young people as they enter early adulthood, just as
any responsible parent would.
Signed
Councillor Christine Simpson
Portfolio Holder
Social Care and Health
Stirling Council
Executive Summary
Stirling Council and Clackmannanshire Council and its community planning
partners are committed to improving outcomes for all our looked after children
and young people.
This revised strategy sets out the national and local context for corporate
parenting, and outlines the key outcomes that partners will work towards to make
the maximum difference to the lives of our looked after children and young
people.
Our strategy has been devised within the GIRFEC (Getting It Right For Every
Child) Framework which partners work within to improve the outcomes of all of
Stirling and Clackmannanshire’s children and young people, particularly the most
vulnerable, many of whom are looked after young people.
Through this Framework, all agencies with a role to play in improving the lives of
children and young people will work in partnership to ensure the achievement of
eight well-being indicators. These indicators are especially relevant for our looked
after population and will ensure that they are: safe, healthy, active, nurtured,
achieving, respected responsible and included. (SHANARRI)
GIRFEC and SHANARRI provide the particular context for this strategy, which
itself is framed within both the Community Planning Partnership’s Single Outcome
Agreement 2013-2023 and Stirling Council’s Administration Priorities 2012-2017.
The strategy and shared focus across agencies is not an end in itself. It
establishes a set of shared outcomes and initial action areas, from which partners
will develop a joint action plan and associated performance measures.
Following evidence and consultation, the strategy will prioritise action around five
key priority areas namely:
•
•
•
•
•
In care and leaving care
Education, Training and Employment
Accommodation
Participation
Foster care/ permanence.
.
4
1. Introduction
This is a revised Corporate Parenting Strategy for Stirling and Clackmannanshire
will cover the period 2013-2018. The aim of this revised Strategy is to evidence a
clear shared commitment to looked after children and young people, and to
improve their outcomes in line with the implementation of Getting it Right for
Every Child (GIRFEC). The strategy is informed by consultation with young
people, including the Hear My Voice event 1 . As we progress to implementation,
we will continue to seek the views of our looked after children and young people,
to make sure that their views and experiences remain central to our strategic
planning and service delivery.
The Corporate Parenting Strategy sets out the framework for Elected Members,
officers of the Council and partner agencies to enable them to achieve their
corporate parenting responsibilities for children and young people who are looked
after by Stirling and Clackmannanshire Council.
Collectively through our Single Outcome Agreement, we are increasingly moving
towards an outcomes based approach to the delivery of public services, and this
Strategy focuses on improving the outcomes we want for our looked after young
people. Looked after young people are often of the most vulnerable members of
our community, whose outcomes tend to be much less positive than we would
wish for our own children.
Through this Strategy, we will ensure that our looked after children and young
people receive high quality corporate parenting that is focussed on their needs
and ambitious for their outcomes.
1.1. Looked After Children and Young People
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill states that corporate parenting
applies to
• every child who is look after by a local authority, and
• every young person who(i)
is under the age of 26, and
(ii)
was, but is no longer looked after by a local authority
The term looked after includes those children and young people who are living at
home with birth parent(s) and/or other family members and who are subject to a
supervision requirement made by a Children’s hearing. It also refers to those
children who are accommodated away from home, living with foster or kinship
carers, in residential homes, residential schools or secure units.
1.2 Corporate Parenting
Corporate Parenting means “the formal and local partnerships needed between
all local authority departments and services, and associated agencies, who are
responsible for working together to meet the needs of looked after children and
young people, and care leavers”.
Corporate Parenting is not merely a responsibility, but it is an opportunity to turn
around and improve the life chances and outcomes for all of the looked after
1
See appendix 1
5
children in Stirling and Clackmannanshire. It is an opportunity to make being in
care a positive experience, one that gives young people, the care, stability, and
safety that every child deserves.
1.3 Corporate Parents
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill places a duty of corporate
parenting locally on:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Stirling Council
Clackmannanshire Council
NHS Forth Valley
Skills Development Scotland
Police Scotland
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Forth Valley College
Children’s Reporter
Stirling University
The Bill states that this duty means that corporate parents must;
•
Be alert to matters which might adversely affect the wellbeing of
looked after children and young people
•
Assess the needs of looked after children and young people for their
services and support
•
Help looked after children and young people to make use of their
services and support
•
Promote the interests of looked after children and young people
•
Seek to provide looked after children and young people with
opportunities to participate in activities designed to promote their
wellbeing, and help young people to access them
As Corporate Parents, Stirling Council, Clackmannanshire Council and its
partners will aim to provide the opportunity for every child and young person in
our care to achieve the best possible outcomes. The extent of involvement and
intervention from agencies will vary depending upon the particular circumstances
and needs of each child and young person. However, as good Corporate
Parents we will all:
•
•
•
•
•
Respect and nurture our looked after children and young people.
Be ambitious for our looked after children and young people
Ensure that our looked after children and young people can access play,
sporting, leisure and cultural activities
Promote the health needs of our looked after children and young people
Promote the social inclusion of our looked after children and young people
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2. National Context
2.1. Outcomes for Looked After Children
National research and our local experience confirm that generally looked after
children and young people are much more likely to face poorer life experiences. 2
We know that some looked after young people do achieve positive outcomes.
Unfortunately, however for some young people, the outcomes are much less
positive, and can result in lower educational attainment, significant under
achievement and life chances that are largely reduced. 3
Generally, looked after children and young people have greater emotional
challenges, greater financial worries, a lack of family and friendship networks,
and greater challenges around sustaining accommodation, further and higher
education, and employment.
National research indicates that looked after children do best when they: •
•
•
•
•
•
•
Are supported by adults who genuinely care about looked after children
Have consistent and stable care arrangements
Are encouraged and supported to participate
Have social workers who spend time with them and take an interest in
their lives
Have social workers and others in authority take decisive action where
their needs are not being met
Are supported in education
Are supported to become independent when they leave care
2.2. Getting it Right for Every Child
Getting it Right for Every Child 4 (GIRFEC) is an approach that strives to achieve
consistency across agencies that are working to improve the outcomes for
children, young people and families. It has ten core components and a set of
values and principles. It focuses on ensuring that the needs of children and
families are at the centre of any decision making and interventions, and that they
are given the best possible start in life. The underlying principle of Getting It
Right for Every Child is to ensure that, appropriate agencies intervene at the
earliest possible stage where there are signs of difficulty, to avoid only intervening
when the situation has reached crisis point.
Through the GIRFEC Framework, we will work locally with parents and carers to
ensure the achievement of the ‘SHANARRI’ well-being indicators for all children,
including our looked after children and young people:
1. Safe - Every looked after child and young person will have safe care and
living arrangements, these will be monitored and action taken if required.
2
Review of Research on Vulnerable Young People and their transitions to independent living, Scottish
Executive Social Research 2007, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/195995/0052538.pdf
3
‘These Are Our Bairns Looked After Children & Young People: we can and must do better a guide for
community planning partnerships on being a good Corporate parent’, The Scottish Government 2008
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/236882/0064989.pdf
4
The Scottish Government, ‘A Guide to Getting it Right for Every Child’, June 2012
7
2. Healthy - Every looked after child and young person will have their health
needs assessed and addressed.
3. Active - Every looked after child and young person will be encouraged to lead
an active life
4. Nurtured - Every looked after child and young person will have stable and
secure living arrangements.
5. Achieving - Every looked after child and young person will be encouraged
and supported to achieve their potential.
6. Respected - Every looked after child and young person will be respected by
those who look after them.
7. Responsible - Every looked after child and young person will be encourage
to be responsible for their actions and provided with opportunities which allow
them to develop these skills.
8. Included - Every looked after child and young person will be included in their
community and in the society of Stirling and Clackmannanshire.
2.3. Children and Young People’s Bill
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill is anticipated to become a
statutory Act of the Scottish Parliament in 2014.
The policy objectives of the Bill are 5 :
•
Ensure that children’s rights properly influence the design and delivery of
policies and services by placing new duties on the Scottish Ministers and the
public sector and by increasing the powers of Scotland’s Commissioner for
Children and Young People;
•
Improve the way services support children and families by promoting cooperation between services, with the child at the centre;
•
Strengthen the role of early years support in children’s and families’ lives by
increasing the amount and flexibility of funded early learning and childcare;
•
Ensure better permanence planning for looked after children by improving
support for kinship carers, families and care leavers, extending corporate
parenting across the public sector, and putting Scotland’s National Adoption
Register on a statutory footing; and
•
Strengthen existing legislation that affects children and young people by
making procedural and technical changes in the areas of children’s hearings
support arrangements, secure accommodation placements, and school
closures.
The Bill is also intended to increase free early childcare from 475 hours to an
annual minimum of 600 hours for 3 and 4 year olds, and 2 year olds who have
been at any time or are currently looked after by the Authority or in Kinship Care
since turning the age of 2.
5
Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill – Policy Memorandum,
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_Bills/Children%20and%20Young%20People%20(Scotland)%20Bill
/b27s4-introd-pm.pdf
8
The Children and Young People Bill, also proposes to extend leaving care
support up to age 25. This extends the current provision which fixed a maximum
age for providing support at 21. It is hoped that this will allow for longer support
to care leavers to be provided by their corporate parents – hopefully mirroring
what happens in families across Scotland. This change will have financial
implications for Local Authorities. If an assessment shows that the young person
has needs which cannot be met through other means, the Local Authority will be
required to meet these needs as it considers necessary.
2.4. The Welfare Reform Act 2012
The UK Governments Welfare Reform Act 2012, will bring about a wide range of
reforms from 1st April 2013, with the intention of making benefit and tax credit
systems simpler and fairer by:
•
•
•
Protecting those deemed most vulnerable in our society;
Creating the right incentives to get more people into paid employment;
and
Creating fairness to those claiming benefits and to the tax payer
However, with these changes come potentially damaging effects on some of our
local communities, in particular those communities and families we would
consider to be our most vulnerable and at risk.
Although this Strategy is concerned with our looked after population, given the
likely negative implications the Welfare Reform might bring about for those low
income families who are already vulnerable, we need to take this into
consideration and context when considering these young people and their
families.
3. Local Context/ Stirling Position
3.1 Stirling Council Priorites
Of the strategic priorities agreed by Stirling Council Administration in January
2013, the priorities of particular relevance to the Corporate Parenting Strategy are
as follows:
•
•
•
Increased focus on early intervention to help families in need
Improved outcomes for the lowest performing 20 per cent of children
in nurseries and schools
Being a good corporate parent
3.2 Stirling’s Single Outcome Agreement 2013-2023
The Single Outcome Agreement for Stirling 2013-2023 is the strategic Framework
for partners to meet the needs and aspirations of the communities of Stirling.
Within Stirling’s Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) there are 7 priority outcomes,
all of which are relevant to our looked after children and young people:
1. Improved outcomes in children’s early years
2. Improved support for disadvantaged and vulnerable families and
individuals
3. Communities are well served, better connected and safe
9
4.
5.
6.
7.
Improved supply of social and affordable housing
Reduced risk factors that lead to health and other inequalities
Improved opportunities for learning, training and work
A diverse economy that delivers good quality local jobs
This Strategy identifies 5 strategic priorities that Stirling and Clackmannanshire’s
corporate parents will action in support of SOA outcomes and Stirling Council
Administration priorities:
a) In Care and leaving care
b) Education, training and employment
c) Accommodation
d) Participation
e) Permanence
3.3 Looked After Children in Stirling
For the year 2011/12, the profile of Stirling’s looked after children and young
people, and its comparison to Scotland wide figures, was as follows:
Table 3.3.1: Children and young people starting and ceasing to be looked
after
Area
Children
Children
Starting to be Ceasing to be
looked after
looked after
looked after
looked after
on 31 July
on 31 July as during
3011/12
2012
a percentage
2011/12
of the 0-18
population
Stirling
251
1.2
75
79
Scotland
16,248
1.5
4,811
4,768
Table 3.3.2: Characteristics of looked after children and young people
Age of children looked after
Children under 5
Young People 16 or over
Area
Number
Percentage
Number
Percentage
Stirling
44
18
27
11
Scotland
3,469
21
1,568
10
Table 3.3.3: Children and young people looked after by type of accommodation
In the Community
Area
At
home
with
parents
In residential
accommodation
With
friends/
relatives
With
foster
carers
provided
by the
local
authority
With
foster
carers
purchase
d by the
local
authority
In other
commu
nity
In local
authority
home /
voluntary
home
In other
residenti
al care
Total
looked
after
children
Stirling
%
Scotland
90
36%
5,153
58
23%
4,076
60
24%
3,946
7
3%
1,333
5
2%
307
3
1%
654
28
11%
779
251
100%
16,248
%
32%
25%
24%
8%
2%
4%
5%
100%
10
3.4 Becoming Looked After
Children and young people become looked after for a number of reasons. Most
will have been affected by difficult experiences in their lives. Many will have
experienced abuse or neglect, some will present with difficult and challenging
behaviour, some will have significant disabilities and complex needs, and some
will be affected by the illness or death of a parent. For example, data from the
last 3 quarters of 2012, suggest that 42% of children on the Child Protection
register are there as a result of parental substance misuse.
Unless a court order is given, parents still retain their parental rights and
responsibilities for their children and the local authority aims to work alongside
parents and carers to ensure the children and young people have appropriate
and safe care.
There are a number of ways children and young people are looked after:
•
They continue to live at home and have been made subject to a
Supervision Requirement – meaning the child is required to have a social
worker - by a Children’s Hearing. Each Supervision Requirement is
reviewed at least annually by a Children’s Hearing. As well as being
reviewed by a Children’s Hearing, the plan for each child or young person
is reviewed by Stirling Council or Clackmannanshire Council in line with
statutory requirements.
•
A Supervision Requirement which has a condition that they stay
somewhere other than their home. This can be with a foster carer or in a
residential unit or school. These Children are said to be looked after and
accommodated. As well as being reviewed by a Children’s Hearing, the
plan for each child or young person is reviewed by Stirling Council or
Clackmannanshire Council at least three times in the first year and a
minimum of six monthly thereafter.
•
A voluntary agreement between the parents and the local authority that
the child be accommodated. Each plan for these children and young
people is reviewed by Stirling Council or Clackmannanshire Council at
least every six months.
•
A Permanence Order granted by the court to the Council as it has been
deemed that the child cannot ever safely return to their parent(s). Each
plan for these children and young people is reviewed by Stirling Council or
Clackmannanshire Council at least every six months.
3.5 No longer deemed Looked After
Section 17 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 states that local authorities should
ensure that all children and young people in the care of the local authority are
prepared for the time that they will no longer be looked after. For those young
people who are still looked after when they leave school, either Stirling Council or
Clackmannanshire Council Through Care and After Care Services will intervene,
in a bid to support these young people into independent living, to help them
manage this transition, and to prevent then from becoming even more vulnerable.
11
The Through Care and After Care Service provides holistic support, including
helping young people find suitable accommodation, helping them find a job or
further education, managing their home, budgeting, and general advice and
support which will enable looked after young people to live fulfilling
interdependent lives.
4. Council Services: Current Early Intervention and Prevention
4.1. Early Intervention and Preventative activity
In line with the underlying principles of Getting It Right for Every Child, i.e. where
appropriate, agencies intervene at the earliest possible stage where there are
signs of difficulty, Services are committed to trying to shift the point at which they
are intervening from crisis point to early intervention. This section outlines what
Services are currently doing and identifies potential activities.
4.2. Social Services
Permanence
Within the Stirling and Clackmannanshire area the need to progress permanence
planning for all children who are looked after and accommodated is now seen as
a priority in the way forward.
Historically both locally and nationally, it has been noted that decisions and
actions in relation to permanence planning for children who have become looked
after and accommodated, was allowed to 'drift'. Recent research has indicated
that in Scotland it took on average over two years from a decision being made to
move towards permanence, for this piece of work to be actually completed.
The Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS) have
recently started to work with a range of local authorities in Scotland to address
this issue. Stirling Council and Clackmammanshire Council is actively engaged
with CELSIS to take this area of work forward.
Foster Care
In the Stirling area we generally have more than 30 foster care placements
available, ranging from short term and long term carers, who have a mixed range
of skills, and there is also a range of foster carers who provide respite care.
Most children and young people are placed with internal foster carers, however
some are placed with foster carers who are provided through external agencies.
It is intended in the longer term to increase the number of internal foster carers,
and reduce the need to place outwith the local area, and reduce the costs of such
placements.
12
Reduce the number of placement breakdowns
Many of the children who become looked after and accommodated bring with
them a range of complex needs and can also present with very challenging
behaviour. In these circumstances the placing of children can be problematic, and
at times placements can only be made for interim period before a more suitable,
longer term placement becomes available.
One of the aims of the service is to reduce the number of placement breakdowns
that occur for children, and it should be noted that the number of children with 3
or more placements has been reducing over the last few years.
This trend needs to continue, and it is hoped that by developing a wider range of
foster carers, with an increased set of skills, we will be able to respond to the
needs of the children placed with them more effectively.
Positive Destinations
‘Positive Destinations’, is more specifically focused on our looked after children
who are moving from childhood to adulthood, and working with partners in
Education, Youth Services and third sector to develop the opportunities for
children and young people to achieve their full potential.
4.3. Housing and Customer Services
Supported Accommodation
Ideally at age 16, looked after and accommodated young people will either
remain at Brucefield / Glasgow Road, in foster care or in the intermediate
accommodation at 84 Glasgow Road (2 places). Alternatively they will move to
supported lodgings (6 places).
At present care leavers without permanent accommodation who cannot /do not
take up one of the above options, often have to live temporarily at The Bridge
project, in bed and breakfast accommodation or in homelessness temporary
accommodation. At age 16/17 a permanent tenancy is rarely the answer.
None of these accommodation options is appropriate for care leavers who tend to
require a higher level of support than the housing support that is provided.
It has been estimated that 10 units of supported accommodation and 10 units of
supported lodging are required to meet the need.
Housing and Customer Services are working closely with Social Services and
other partners to join up accommodation and support provision, within the
framework of the Housing Protocol.
Homelessness Partnership’s Intermediate Accommodation Working Group:
The group is seeking to bring forward proposals for the establishment of further
intermediate accommodation. It involves council staff and partner agencies and is
led by Housing and Customer Services.
13
Reducing the Number of Placements
Young people leaving care can on occasions have as many as 10 different
addresses within a couple of years of leaving care. This can include:
• attempts to return ‘home’, to extended family and to friends
• different types of temporary accommodation (while more permanent moves
are being planned)
• moves to other settlements, including in England
• attempts at living independently in a tenancy
While some of these moves will be a result of the decisions and actions of the
young person, an excessive number of accommodation moves suggests that
procedural improvements are required. Through the implementation of this
Strategy, we will seek improvements in data collection, information sharing,
provision and support.
Education, Employment and Training
Through the housing & support project at The Bridge which is funded by Housing
and Customer Service, Loretto’s staff work with up to 80 young people, some of
whom are care leavers, to assist them in preparing for, taking up and sustaining
opportunities for education, employment and training. The Bridge project is due to
be re-tendered in 2014. The revised tender will reflect the desired outcomes of
this Strategy.
4.4 Education Services
Introduction
Education Services provide a crucial role in ensuring the emotional and
intellectual development and safety of looked after children. Whether a nursery,
community based learning centre, or school, Education establishments are one of
the key protective factors in a looked after child’s life providing structure,
significant relationships and a focus on the development of skills and knowledge.
Curriculum for Excellence
Within a Curriculum for Excellence 3-18 there is an increased emphasis on skills
development: skills for life; skills for learning and skills for work. There are also
three aspects with a Curriculum for Excellence, which are the ‘responsibility for
all’, namely: literacy; numeracy and health and well-being. Every member of
Education staff, no matter their particular specialism or area of expertise has a
responsibility for developing core skills in these areas. Of particular significance
for looked after children is the area of well-being, as the potential impact of being
looked after is that areas of social or emotional need can develop which, in turn,
becomes a barrier to learning.
Responsibilities of Staff
All staff within Education Services have received training in the principles of
“Getting It Right For Every Child” and are therefore aware of their responsibility to
adapt their practice in order to meet children’s needs, including those who are
looked after.
14
Each establishment has a key member of staff appointed as Designated Manager
for looked after children and young people. Within establishments Designated
Managers ensure that they identify our looked after children and young people
and effectively communicate this to colleagues to make sure appropriate support
is in place. Designated Managers play a crucial role in liaising with parents and
other partners including Social Service colleagues when developing,
implementing and reviewing plans for looked after children. The maintenance
sharing of information is an important aspect of the remit. The information system
SEEMiS provides a mechanism for this. One element of SEEMiS, the “Risk
Matrix” supports staff in identifying the cumulative affect of risk factors within a
child or young person’s life and allows more targeted supports, particularly when
transition planning. This is of particular significance to our looked after children
and young people.
Targeted Support
A Senior Educational Psychologist post has been appointed across Stirling and
Clackmannanshire Councils with responsibility for looked after children. This
allows consistency of approach for looked after children in ensuring that their
needs are met. Areas of work being progressed include: the development of
methods of gathering children and young people’s views, piloting of emotional
wellbeing measures and improved communication systems between residential
placements and Educational Psychologists/Education Service.
There are also a number of specialist interventions within Education Service
which may be accessed in order to support the specific needs of looked after
children. These can include nurturing approaches, music therapy, cognitive
behaviour therapy, trauma and loss interventions and life story work.
On-going monitoring
Education Service has in place key measures to monitor outcomes for looked
after children and young people. These include - attendance, exclusions,
qualifications and post school destinations.
Future Developments
Parenting
As part of on-going work to support the needs of looked after children and young
people, Education Service is seeking to develop and strengthen the support it
provides for parents through the development of a partnership Parenting
Strategy. A number of staff within Early Years have already been trained in
Incredible Years, an intensive parenting support programme. Participating in the
Psychology of Positive Parenting should strengthen capacity to work with
colleagues and provide targeted support to some of our most vulnerable families.
A Parenting Co-ordinator has been appointed whose work will include our looked
after children and young people.
Early Learning and Childcare
Looked after 2 year olds
As part of the Children and Young People’s Bill there is a commitment to provide
600 hours Early Learning and Childcare for all Looked After 2 year olds. Within
Stirling Council and Clackmannanshire Council this will be in place from January
2014, ahead of the National timescale of August 2014.
15
Transition Planning
Given the significant importance placed on ensuring positive destinations and
effective transition planning into adult services, the Education Service is
committed to further developing links with a range of Council and third sector
partners in order to fully support post school transitions. This will be further
shaped though the implementation of this Strategy.
5. Other partners as Corporate Parents
The full engagement of all corporate parenting partners is essential to deliver this
strategy. The services provided by NHS Forth Valley, Police Scotland, Forth
Valley College, Skills Development Scotland, Barnardo’s and other community
planning partners will increasingly be shaped by the priorities identified.
We will also work to make sure that all statutory partners raise awareness of their
duty as corporate parents throughout their organisations, work collaboratively to
implement this strategy, and deliver their services accordingly.
6. Engagement and Participation
6.1. Hear My Voice and Tik Tak Consultations
The ‘Hear My Voice’ Consultation carried out with a small number of Stirling’s
older looked after children, aged between 16-24 in 2011 has helped inform this
strategy.
More recently, Elected Members met with looked after young people informally
during a drop in session supported by Barnardo’s Freagarrach project and the
Council’s Throughcare and After Care team.
6.2. Next steps regarding Future Consultation/ Engagement Strategy with
Looked After Children
Regular and ongoing engagement with our looked after children and young
people is critical to the implementation of this strategy. We must continue to use a
variety of engagement methods to make sure that we capture their views.
Elected Members will continue to engage on a quarterly basis with looked after
young people via the ‘Tik Tak’ drop in events.
Members and partners will also action specific methodologies to widen our
engagement as follows:
•
Gather together the ways in which services and agencies are currently in
contact with our looked after population;
•
Use Viewpoint/CASI to gather the views of looked after children and
young people in a number of forums
•
Be clear on what the benefits are to young people by agencies engaging
with them (i.e. we need to be sure we do not over consult with young
people);
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•
Gather together all that we know about the NHS Health Assessments;
•
Gather together all that we know about Social Worker Reviews;
•
Pull together anonymous case studies of the findings of the NHS Health
Assessments and the Social Work Reviews, so that we can be clear on
what they tell us; what is working; what is not working; where are the
gaps;
•
Gather information from partners, including all where relevant
assessments and the output of from general engagement sessions
•
If required, individual engagement with harder to reach young people and
their families;
•
If required, specific events to engage with looked after children and their
families
7. Implementation
7.1. Priority Outcomes and Initial Action Areas
Our initial priority outcomes and associated key action areas are listed the action
plan framework on pages 18-19.
We will develop a detailed Action Plan to implement improvements consistent
with the action areas.
Central to implementation will be continuing to refine our data collection in
relation to our looked after children, to ensure that all corporate parenting
partners work with an agreed set of both qualitative and quantitative information.
We will also ensure that our joint commissioning is informed by accurate data,
and that we commission from an outcome focus, with clear measurement and
quality assurance procedures.
7.2. Monitoring Performance/ HMIe Self Evaluation findings & Review
This Strategy has been developed in response to previous Inspections,
evidenced data and the views of our looked after children and young people. It is
a related strategy to our emerging Integrated Children’s Services Plan and to our
Parenting Strategy, making sure that we have the same aspirations for our looked
after children and young people as we have for all children and young people in
the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Council area.
Partners will monitor implementation of the strategy via the performance
measures associated with the Action Plan. Partners will report performance to
Stirling Council and to the Community Planning Partnership, and to looked after
children and young people themselves.
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Action Plan Framework
Strategic Priority Area
Outcome/s
Initial Action Areas
In Care and Leaving Our looked after children and young • Develop and keep under regular review, key lifestage transition plans as part
Care
people are supported to live active,
of GIRFEC child planning
healthy lifestyles
• Maintain programmes of ‘high support, high challenge’ parenting that nurture
and promote positive behaviour amongst our looked after children and young
people
• Establish and maintain on going support arrangements for all young people
who have left care, up the age of 25
• Maintain a programme of peer mentoring and drop in sessions to build
capacity and support networks
• Explore the most effective methods to promote and sustain physical activity
opportunities
• Ensure that the emotional wellbeing of our looked after children is routinely
assessed, and developed accordingly
• Ensure developmental stage, rather than age appropriate development and
support across all our corporate parenting
Education, training and Our looked after children and young • Develop and maintain programmes to support our looked after children and
employment
people are supported to achieve their
young people’s continuing engagement in education
educational, training and employment • Improve the tracking of the attainment and achievement of our looked after
potential
children and young people
• Promote the achievement of a positive destination for all our looked after
Our looked after children and young
children and young people on leaving school
people are supported to maximise
• Continue to work with our further and higher education partners to ensure
their interdependent living
that the specific needs of our looked after young people are identified and
opportunities
addressed
• Work with the Business Advisory Group and the Community Planning
Leadership Group to establish supportive ‘bespoke’ work experience and
employment opportunities for our looked after young people
Our looked after young people have
Accommodation
• Revise the shared Housing Protocol for Care Leavers in accordance with
appropriate accommodation when they
National guidance
are ready and choose to leave care
• Implement the National ‘Staying Put’ guidance with regard to local
•
•
•
Participation
Our looked after children and young •
people are supported to engage
effectively with Elected Members and •
community
planning
partner
organisations in developing policy and •
reviewing practice
Permanence
Our looked after children and young
people have appropriate, quality and
stable placements when required
Our looked after children and young
people have appropriate, quality and
stable care arrangements in their own
community when required
•
•
•
•
circumstance
Seek to increase the availability of transitional options, such as supported
lodgings and other types of supported accommodation
Encourage and enable young people to remain in positive care settings until
they are ready to move on
Ensure that all young people who leave care have the practical skills and
positive support networks that underpin successful adult life
Establish a programme of ongoing networking and engagement opportunities
with Elected Members and community planning partners
Support looked after children and young people to develop their own
resources to encourage interdependence and peer support
Continue to develop and implement a range of methods to listen and respond
to the views of all our looked after children, their families and carers
Seek to develop a wider range of accommodation and support options,
including treatment and recovery support for young people with substance
misuse problems
Continue to develop the work on permanence supported by CELSIS
Continue to prioritise recruitment of foster carers
Ensure that the training and support offered to foster cares continues to
reflect GIRFEC and SHANARRI principles
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