The Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee of Cardiff Council was scheduled to discuss progress on the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan for 2026-27, with a particular focus on improving housing pathways out of care and safeguarding children looked after from exploitation. The meeting was also set to cover educational achievement, employment, and training for children looked after, including attendance, engagement, and participation in education, as well as the learner journey at Cardiff and Vale College.

Q2 Progress Overview

Rebecca Brockway from the Corporate Parenting Team was scheduled to provide an update on the key areas of progress made in Quarter 2 against the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan 2026-27. This update was expected to include a scrutiny update, a review of the data dashboard, and information on opportunities for member visits.

Priority 3: A Comfortable, Safe, and Stable Home Whilst in Care and After

Improving Housing Pathways Out of Care

Stephanie Rogers-Lewis, Operational Manager for Housing Need and Homelessness, was scheduled to present an update on improving housing pathways out of care. This initiative is a key part of Priority 3 of the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan, which aims to ensure children looked after (CLA) have a comfortable, safe, and stable home both while in care and after leaving it. The housing actions within the annual plan focus on strengthening multi-agency oversight through the Young Persons Multi-Disciplinary Team (YPMDT), developing appropriate routes to independence, and improving planning for young people approaching transition to independence. The committee was expected to receive an update on progress against these actions and priorities for the next phase of delivery, including enhanced pathway planning, joint working, and monitoring of housing outcomes.

Safeguarding Children Looked After from Exploitation

Jade Harrison, Operational Manager for Service Improvement and Strategy, and Suki Bahara-Garrens, Director of Children's Services, were scheduled to discuss safeguarding children looked after from exploitation. The report highlighted that looked after and care experienced children and young people can be more vulnerable to exploitation due to factors such as missing episodes, peer relationships, unstable accommodation, and frequent transitions. The report indicated that strengthening partnership working across various sectors, including education, health, housing, social care, police, and the voluntary sector, is crucial for recognising risks and preventing exploitation. Over the next 12 months, the SAFE Virtual Hub is planned to be implemented to enhance the collection and analysis of information and intelligence, aiming for a proactive, intelligence-led, and preventative model to protect young people.

Priority 4: Educational Achievement, Employment and Training

Improving Attendance, Engagement and Participation of CLA in Education

David Williams from Inclusion Services was scheduled to provide an update on improving the attendance, engagement, and participation of children looked after (CLA) in education. This is a key focus of Priority 4 of the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan. Actions led by the Education Inclusion Service include strengthening monitoring, early intervention, and multi-agency coordination, supported by accurate and timely data and the establishment of a Permanent Exclusion Triage Panel. The report noted that the Permanent Exclusion Triage Panel has been initiated, with CLA explicitly referenced in its Terms of Reference, aiming to strengthen corporate parenting responsibilities and ensure the needs of CLA are considered at the earliest stage of escalation.

Cardiff and Vale College – Better Care Learner Journey

Michell Hiller-Forster, Vice Principal Quality & Learner Journey at Cardiff and Vale College, was scheduled to discuss the Better Care Learner Journey. This initiative is part of the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan's action to strengthen external partnerships and develop collaborative opportunities for CLA and care leavers. Cardiff and Vale College has developed a bespoke learner journey for care-experienced learners, aiming to provide safe and inclusive environments. The college is working with the Council to explore further support for care-experienced young people, including a proposal with the Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) Hub for an ESOL Futures Programme. This programme would offer flexible, year-round educational support for UASC, combining ESOL learning with wellbeing, integration, and progression support.

The meeting was also scheduled to include a review of the minutes from the previous meeting on 22nd June 2026, and to confirm the date of the next meeting on 11th January 2027.