The Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee of Cardiff Council met on Monday 22 June 2026 to review progress on the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan for 2026-27. The meeting was scheduled to discuss the Corporate Parenting Annual Report for 2025-26, corporate safeguarding actions, and opportunities for member visits. A significant portion of the agenda was dedicated to reviewing progress on Priority 1: Improving Emotional Health and Wellbeing, and Priority 2: Better Connections and Improved Relationships, with specific focus on healthcare access for children looked after, support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and youth service provision.

Q1 Progress Overview

The committee was provided with an overview of the first quarter's progress against the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan 2026-27. This included a review of the finalised Corporate Parenting Annual Report for 2025-26, which summarised the work undertaken against the previous year's plan. Attendees were also presented with the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan for 2026-27, which outlines new developments and ongoing actions. A Corporate Safeguarding Self-Assessment was discussed, detailing actions identified by each council directorate to improve support for children looked after. Opportunities for member visits in 2026-27 were also circulated for expression of interest.

Priority 1: Improving Emotional Health and Wellbeing

A key focus of the meeting was the progress made on Priority 1, specifically concerning partnership working to improve access to healthcare for children looked after. The report indicated that good progress had been made in enhancing multi-agency working, with increased engagement from health professionals. Services such as Speech and Language Therapy, Children Looked After (CLA) nursing teams, and mental health services are now actively participating in the Corporate Parenting Delivery Group. Plans are underway to further embed partnership working through training for council staff and targeted engagement with healthcare practitioners. Collaboration with Stori Cymru, an organisation delivering relationships and sexual health education, was also highlighted, with opportunities for training CLA designated teachers and consulting with children looked after on resource development.

Priority 2: Better Connections and Improved Relationships

The committee was also scheduled to receive updates on Priority 2, focusing on supporting Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) and Youth Service Provision for Children Looked After. The report detailed efforts to strengthen joint working with UASC Services to ensure corporate parenting initiatives are inclusive and responsive to their specific needs. The UASC Hub within the Education Directorate continues to play a central role in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, providing education provision and assisting with transitions into appropriate educational pathways. The Youth Service's targeted support for children looked after, including mentoring, group activities, and digital provision, was also outlined, with a focus on improving wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, and educational attainment.

The meeting was also scheduled to address any urgent items and confirm the date of the next meeting, which was planned for Monday 21 September 2026.