Issue - meetings

To receive the Annual Report of the Corporate Parenting Panel for 2015/16

This will include a brief presentation from a foster carer

At the Chairman’s invitation, Councillor Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, introduced this item. She explained that the role of the Corporate Parenting Panel was to secure Councillor involvement and commitment throughout the Council to deliver better outcomes for children and young people who were looked after. All Councillors were reminded of their responsibilities as a “corporate parent” for children and young people who were looked after in Wiltshire. She also emphasised the clear set of strategic priorities which had been agreed following a recent Ofsted inspection, targeting the key areas in which improvements were required; these included ambitious targets to recruit additional foster carers and return children to Wiltshire placements, achieving legal permanence more quickly for children in long-term care and ensuring our Care Leavers had better access to appropriate housing, education and employment opportunities.

A presentation was made by Mrs Ali Forbes-Keith regarding her work as a foster carer. She encouraged Councillors to promote fostering within the county and to encourage people to consider becoming foster parents emphasising how rewarding an experience it was to make such a positive difference to a young person’s life

The Chair added his thanks for the excellent presentation.

Resolved:

To receive and note the Annual Report of the Corporate Parenting Panel and ratify the improvements required to strengthen Corporate Parenting in Wiltshire.