Agenda item

The Terms of Reference of the Corporate Parenting Panel.

[To Follow]

The Terms of Reference (TOR) report was discussed by the Panel. It was noted that there had been a new Membership for the new municipal year. The TOR had not changed since 2017.

The Panel discussed reports that were to be presented at Panel meeting, and requested that themed topics covered a wide area addressing a detailed breakdown in particular areas.

Further, the extra accommodated existing willingness to have more meetings (total of 6 per municipal year) was welcomed. The Chair shared with the Panel that the increase of meetings had allowed for the Panel to review and hear more of EMPIRE and reports on specialised items.

The Panel RESOLVED: To unanimously agree that the current Terms of Reference was sufficient and to include a Housing Officer Member as one of the co-optees.

EMPIRE

A number of EMPIRE Members were present at the Panel who shared their voices on their little involvement on the Corporate Parenting Panel and the experience they have in care. The discussions led the Panel to understand their frustrations on how young people received support mentally and emotionally; having repeatedly addressed that their voices were not being heard particularly for those care leavers who turned 18; and how EMPIRE could be more involved in the conversations and Panel meetings to share their voice.

The co-optee Care Leaver Representative welcomed the voices of EMPIRE that opened conversations of communication. As a care leaver representative, she addressed that the Corporate Parenting Panel was a function that oversaw the work services provided to the young people of Croydon, which included the opportunity for EMPIRE and a Care Leaver Representative engagement. It was noted that through this Panel there had been actions for better services provided for the young children in care such as the housing changes, allocations to young people on the housing register, accommodation strategy and other pieces of work, and that a breakdown in communication of the implementations of these actions may have led to the disappointments highlighted by EMPIRE Members. Further, departments ought to be working closely with EMPIRE to facilitate conversations and working together.

Panel Members valued all the voices heard from EMPIRE at Panel meetings in the past and present, and noted that meetings held in public had more conversations directed at the young people present, which was very helpful and insightful. Panel Members invited for EMPIRE to continue to share their experience for the Panel to truly receive an understanding of how the services support Croydon’s children in care.

The Chair shared with the Panel that Croydon had an open-door policy in inviting young people to attend the Corporate Parenting Panels, and in practice this enabled EMPIRE to be given a greater voice to ensure they were heard. There was no limit to the number of young people in attendance and the involvement from EMPIRE past and present was ongoing and functioned. The participation plan with EMPIRE was further developing for better communication, which included child-friendly reports and alternative approach for engagement in Panel meetings.