Corporate Parenting Steering Group Framework

1) Purpose and Aims

    1.1 To improve the lives of children & young people who are in the care of South Gloucestershire Council. 
    1.2 To ensure that the whole Council and partner agencies have a joint commitment to Corporate Parenting in order to achieve continuing improvements in outcomes for looked after children and young people.

2) Terms of Reference

    2.1 To oversee the Corporate Parenting Strategy to ensure outcomes fulfil the Council’s pledge to loked after children

    2.2 To oversee the development and achieve arrangements for securing effective consultation and engagement of children and young people and carers in the planning and delivery of services.

    2.3 To receive regular reports on the provision of services for looked after children and care leavers as required in legislation and enabled fulfilment of the purpose of monitoring and offering advice.

   2.4 To offer advice and monitor:

• plans, strategies or policies for looked after children, young people and Care leavers to ensure performance a) realises the objectives of the Children and Young People’s Plan and the Children in Care Implementation Plan, and b) fulfils statutory requirements.
• The commissioning and use of placements outside the Council area for the accommodation and/or education of looked after children.
• The outcome targets for educational attainment, and other associated activities in relation to looked after children’s achievement are achieved.
• The plans and needs of South Gloucestershire young people in Secure Estates.
• To ensure children in care are able to participate in plans for their care and developments for service planning and delivery, with progress being reported on an annual basis.

   2.5 To oversee the implementation of the NICE Public Health Guidance to promote the quality of life of looked after children

   2.6 To oversee and monitor the Work plan for the FromCare2Work project

   2.7 To oversea the plans and needs of South Gloucestershire young people in Secure Estates

   2.8 To celebrate the achievement of the Council, partners agencies and their staff in the provision of quality services

3) Legal Status and Decision Making

   3.1 The Steering Group nor any sub-groups shall have the power to take decisions that bind other member organisations.

4) Membership of the Corporate Parenting Steering Group

   4.1 The Steering Group shall have the power to co-opt other members as appropriate.

   4.2 Each member of the Steering Group shall nominate a deputy who will attend in their absence, if appropriate and subject to the agreement of the Chair.

   4.3 Officers from within the Steering Group organisations will be available to offer support and give guidance and advice as required.

5) Life of the Steering Group

   5.1 The Steering Group shall be subject to review after five years

6) Convening and Conducting Meetings

   6.1 The Steering Group shall meet at least 6 times a year with additional meetings to be arranged as agreed by Members.

   6.2 The Chair of the Steering Group will be the Executive Member for Children and Young People.

   6.3 The Corporate Parenting Steering Group has no quorum.

   6.4 Secretariat will be provided by the Department for Children and Young People

• Co-ordination of agenda preparation
• Convening of meetings
• Publication and circulation of agendas and supporting papers at least five clear (working) days
• prior to a meeting
• Taking of minutes
• Monitoring and progressing actions agreed by the Steering Group

   6.5 The agenda will be agreed by the Steering Group and published in a Forward Plan.

   6.6 Minutes of meetings will be published on the Council website.

7) Corporate Parenting Steering Group Relationships and Linkages

7.1 The Corporate Parenting Steering Group will report to the Children’s Trust Board, and Council on matters relating to the achievement of the Pledge to Children and Young People in care.

7.2 The Steering Group will work together with the Children In Care Council supporting the work of the CICC and ensuring clear linkages between the Council and Lead Member and children in care.

7.3 The Steering Group will ensure that it supports work towards the related outcomes of any priority areas of the Pledge.

8) Probability and Accountability

8.1 In the interests of transparency and to ensure probity, all partner representatives at partnership meetings are expected to commit to the seven principles of public life set out in the first report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life as follows:

• Selflessness
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Accountability
• Openess
• Objectivity

and to abide by the Members’ Code of Conduct of South Gloucestershire Council and declare any personal or prejudicial conflicts of interest in the course of the meeting and if appropriate withdraw from the meeting. Any partner representative with a prejudicial conflict of interest will be expected to withdraw from the meeting and take no part in the discussion.

10) Risk Management

   10.1 Good risk management is integral to the delivery of successful partnership working. The Steering Group will be guided by and take account of the document “Guidance for Managing Risk and Opportunities in Partnership” in developing aims and objectives and in all its activities.