The Croydon Council Corporate Parenting Board met on Wednesday 26 November 2025. On the agenda was a discussion of the performance report for October 2025, a thematic focus on housing, and the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) service annual report. The board was also scheduled to receive updates from the Children's Participation Team and the Children in Care Council.

Performance Report

The board was scheduled to discuss the performance report for October 2025. The report included data on children looked after (CLA) and care experienced young people (CEYP).

The data on children looked after included:

• The number of children looked after at the end of the month
• The rate of children looked after per 10,000 under 18 population
• The number of children looked after at the end of the month who are local CLA (non-UASC¹)
• The number of children looked after at the end of the month who are UASC²
• The number of new children looked after in the month (total)
• The number of new children looked after in the month who are UASC
• The percentage of the under 18 years population who are UASC
• The percentage of children looked after for whom a visit has taken place within statutory timescales as of report date (30 working days)
• The percentage of children looked after with an up-to-date review
• The percentage of children looked after who have participated in Reviews (aged 4+) in the month
• The percentage of children looked after at statutory school age with a Personal Education Plan (PEP) reviewed & completed in the last 6 months
• The percentage of eligible children looked after with an up-to-date Care Plan (6 months)
• The percentage of eligible children looked after with an up-to-date Pathway Plan (Active Plans Only)
• The percentage of children looked after that have been in care for 12+ months aged below 16 and who have had same social worker for last 6 months
• The percentage of children looked after under 16 in care for more than 2.5 years: in the same placement for 2+ years
• The percentage of children looked after at end of month with 3 or more placements during the year
• The percentage of children looked after placed less than 20 miles from home
• The percentage of children in care for at least 12 months for whom health assessments are up to date
• The percentage of initial health assessments requested for health service within 5 working days of date child become looked after
• The percentage of initial health assessments delivered within 20 working days of date child became looked after
• The percentage of Children in care for at least 12 months whose dental is up to-date

The data on fostering included:

• The percentage of DBS³ Checks within time
• The percentage of Annual Reviews of Foster Carers completed on time
• The percentage of Foster Carers' most recent announced visit within timescales as of report date (6 weekly)

The data on adoption included:

• Average time between a child entering care and moving in with the adoptive family, for children who have been adopted (days) (12 Months rolling average)
• Average time between the LA⁴ receiving court authority to place a child and the LA deciding on a match to an adoptive family (days) (12 months rolling average)
• Number of special guardianship orders made in the month (from care)

The data on care experienced young people included:

• Number of Care experienced young people on CRS⁵
• Care experienced young people with an Up-to-date Pathway plan (Active Plans Only)
• Care experienced young people who are in EET⁶
• Care experienced young people who are in NEET[^8]
• Care experienced young people who are in Suitable Accommodation
• Percentage in employment, education, or training (EET) now aged 17 and 18 year olds
• Percentage in employment, education, or training (EET) now aged 19 to 21
• Percentage not in employment, education, or training (NEET) now aged 19 to 21 (Excluding the unknowns)
• Percentage in suitable accommodation now aged 17 and 18 year olds
• Percentage in suitable accommodation now aged 19 to 21
• Percentage in touch with the authority now aged 19 to 21
• Care experienced young people - LOCAL (non-UASC)
• Care experienced young people - UASC (non-LOCAL)

The report included commentary on some of the data. For example, in relation to the percentage of eligible children looked after with an up-to-date Pathway Plan (Active Plans Only), the report stated:

The low performance noted here relates to children within the YP 16+ Service, Performance in CLA 0-16 & Other services is above 90%

In relation to initial health assessments, the report stated:

This area is the focus of a targetted improvement plan for all health indicators

In relation to the percentage in employment, education, or training (EET) now aged 17 and 18 year olds and the percentage in suitable accommodation now aged 17 and 18 year olds, the report stated:

This low performance is the result of gaps in recording which are the subject of a focused updating exercise

Thematic Focus: Housing - Permanence & Stability

The board was scheduled to have a thematic focus on housing, permanence and stability. As part of this, they were scheduled to receive a verbal update on Housing Pathways.

Reviews and the role of the Independent Reviewing Officer; Annual Report of the IRO Service

The board was scheduled to receive the Annual Report of the Independent Reviewing Officer Service.

Update from Children's Participation Team & Children in Care Council

The board was scheduled to receive a verbal update from the Children's Participation Team and Children in Care Council.

Staying Close Project

The board was scheduled to receive an update on the Staying Close Project including the Merky event held on 29th October 2025.

Other items

The agenda also included:

• The terms of reference of the Corporate Parenting Board
• Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 17 September 2025
• An update on actions agreed at previous meetings