The Corporate Parenting Panel of Lincolnshire County Council met on Thursday 17 September 2026 to review performance reports and annual reports concerning children in care and care leavers. The meeting agenda included discussions on fostering services, adoption services, and the overall activity and work programme of the panel itself.

Children in Care Performance Report Quarter 1

The panel was scheduled to receive a report from Tara Jones, Assistant Director – Children's Safeguarding, detailing key performance information for the first quarter of the 2026-27 financial year. This report was intended to invite the panel to consider performance data relevant to their oversight of corporate parenting responsibilities. The report included performance indicators across various areas, such as the timeliness of adoption placements, the stability of foster care placements, health and dental check-up rates for children in care, and the proportion of care leavers in suitable accommodation and engaged in education, employment, or training.

Fostering Service Annual Report 2025-26 and Statement of Purpose 2026-27

Nicola Brangam, Head of Service – Fostering, Adoption and Leaving Care, was scheduled to present the Fostering Service Annual Report for 2025-26 and the Statement of Purpose for 2026-27. This report was intended to outline the activity and performance of the Fostering Service over the previous year and provide an overview of service development plans. The annual report detailed the service's strategy, Be the Difference, and its key priorities, including sufficiency of local homes for local children, recruitment and retention of foster carers, workforce development, quality and efficiency, and partnership and participation. It also covered the service structure, staffing, matching processes, foster carer households, children in care demographics, recruitment efforts, participation activities, and support for foster families.

Adoption Service Annual Report 2025-26 and Statement of Purpose 2026-27

Nicola Brangam was also scheduled to present the Adoption Service Annual Report for 2025-26 and the Statement of Purpose for 2026-27. This report was intended to detail the activity and performance of the Adoption Service over the past year. The annual report covered Lincolnshire's vision and values, the role of Family Adoption Links (a regional partnership), the national adoption picture, Ofsted inspection findings, service roles and team structure, adopter recruitment and sufficiency, the child's journey through adoption, post-order support, adoption panel summaries, and the complaints procedure.

Annual Report of Corporate Parenting Panel Activity 2025-26

Paul Fisher, Corporate Parenting Manager, was scheduled to present the annual report of the Corporate Parenting Panel's activity for 2025-26. This report was intended to provide an overview of the information presented to the panel throughout the year, highlighting progress made, and identifying challenges in the provision of care, support, and attainment for children in care and care leavers. The report was to be reviewed and commented on by the panel before submission to Full Council. Key themes reviewed by the panel during the year included support to remain with family, stability and permanence, building relationships, learning, education and aspirations, health and resilience, and safe and suitable accommodation.

2025-26 Annual Report: Lincolnshire Children in Care and Care Leavers Council - Voices for Choices (V4C)

Julie Vincent, Team Manager – Quality and Standards, was scheduled to present the annual report on the work of Voices for Choices (V4C) and wider participation activity from July 2025 to June 2026. This report aimed to inform the panel about how care-experienced children and young people are supported to share their views and how these views influence service delivery and strategic decision-making. The report detailed the participation model, engagement methods, attendance figures, and the impact of young people's contributions on commissioning decisions, accommodation services, fostering recruitment, and other areas. It also outlined the development of participation structures and identified challenges and next steps.

Corporate Parenting Panel Work Programme

Emily Wilcox, Senior Democratic Services Officer, was scheduled to present the Corporate Parenting Panel's work programme for the coming year. The panel was invited to consider and comment on the proposed work programme, which included scheduled reports on children in care performance, private fostering, adoption services, leaving care services, the virtual school, and quality and standards. Members were also asked to highlight any additional activities that could be included for consideration.