Agenda item

The Chair welcomed Robert Johnson, Project Manager from Investing in Children and Caitlyn, Lesley and Mitchell, representatives of the Children in Care Council. The Project Manager explained the Children in Care Council (CiCC), supported by Investing in Children, enables children and young people in care, including care leavers, to have their say in the way the care service is delivered.  The young people then presented an introduction to the Children in Care Council (for copy of presentation see file of minutes).

The Panel heard that all children and young people who are looked after in County Durham automatically become members of the CiCC.  There are two separate groups, one for those under 14 years of age and a group for those aged 14 years and over.  Recent activity by the under 14s group includes work with the Virtual Head to produce a guide to Personal Education Plans which will assist the young people to gain a better understanding of the plans.

The young people are also involved in the development of a project using Pupil Premium funds, to allow young people to apply for funding for educational projects.  Work has also taken place with the Full Circle Therapeutic Service to co-design new therapy rooms. In addition, the young people are also busy producing the next edition of the Children in Care Council newsletter. 

Members of the over 14s group have been involved in foster care training and participated in interviews for social workers and senior staff. 

They have also worked on a pilot training session with the police and some of the young people have undertaken peer mentoring training, to help to develop the younger CiCC members.  Meetings have taken place with Independent Reviewing Officers and meetings with members of the Corporate Parenting Panel have continued throughout COVID-19.  The young people spoke of how they are keen to positively promote care and they have applied for funding for a care community celebration event to take place when the COVID-19 restrictions are fully lifted.

The young people explained how the CiCC has developed its relationship with the Corporate Parenting Panel over the years through joint meetings which are held twice a year at the CiCC office.  These meetings are less formal than the Corporate Parenting Panel meetings and provide an opportunity for all of the young people who are part of the CiCC to discuss matters directly with Panel members.

Representatives of the Children in Care Council also meet regularly with Durham County Council’s Chief Executive, John Hewitt, to discuss corporate parenting responsibilities and how the Council may increase opportunities for children and young people looked after and care leavers.

Panel members were encouraged to consider participating in the Care Leavers’ Challenge which is held annually with participants ‘living life in the footsteps of a care leaver’ for a week, by managing on a budget of £57.90 ie the amount that care leavers not in employment receive.  This aims to raise awareness of the daily challenges faced by care leavers. Councillor Bainbridge commented that she had participated in the Care Leavers’ Challenge and she could attest to how challenging it had been, highlighting that it required skills that some young people may not have, such as the ability to cook healthy meals on a small budget.

Lesley and Mitchell then outlined the qualities the young people of the CiCC consider important for good corporate parents, including the following:

·      ambition (the young people feel that corporate parents should strive for the very best for children and young people looked after and care leavers, just as all parents should do for their children);

·      learning (about the full range of the service including the fostering service and the many support services provided);

·      listening (through engaging, asking questions and hearing the voice of the child, through sharing their experiences, ideas and concerns and by taking action);

·      be bold (the young people feel the Panel should be a ‘force to reckoned with’);

·      to advocate and uphold corporate responsibilities across the Council’s services;

·      to connect with the care community, challenge discrimination and promote opportunities locally for children and young people;

·      to celebrate the care community through supporting events.

In concluding their presentation, Lesley and Mitchell asked the Panel members how they intend to be good Corporate Parenting Panel members.

The Vice-Chair congratulated the young people on their excellently delivered and well-informed presentation. Members of the Panel echoed the sentiments, saying that the young people’s attendance at Panel meetings is very much appreciated and that by presenting their views in person, it sends a very powerful message to the Panel.  Members commented on how impressed they were at the way the young people presented themselves in what can be a daunting situation, even for experienced public speakers.

In response to the question from the young people as to how members intend to become good corporate parents, members’ responses included the following:

·      to listen to the children and young people, to be led by their views and to work for them;

·      to ensure the young people are the driving force behind the work of the Panel;

·      to positively promote children and young people looked after within their wards and the wider community;

·      to do their best as corporate parents and to expect the children and young people to hold the Panel to account.

In response to a question from Councillor Surtees on how to contact the young people, the Project Manager explained that contact can be made through Investing in Children and through the Head of Children’s Social Care. The Head of Children’s Social Care informed members that they will have the opportunity to meet and interact with the young people more fully at the joint meetings which are hosted by the Children in Care Council.

In response to a question from the Panel as to what the young people find of most value from attending the Corporate Parenting Panel meetings, Mitchell responded that he has a particular interest in local politics, having stood as a candidate at the recent local elections and he added that scrutiny is an important aspect to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for looked after children and young people.

Councillor Miller reiterated the comments on the importance of listening to the young people and he agreed with the young people’s comments that a community celebration would be a welcome event for all, to lift spirits, following the restrictions of COVID-19.

The Chair thanked Rob, Lesley and Mitchell for their presentation and encouraged Panel Members not to miss the fantastic experience of the joint meetings with the young people of the Children in Care Council. Details of the meetings will be advised in due course.