The Corporate Parenting Board of Croydon Council met on Wednesday, 2 October 2024, to discuss the progress of services for looked-after children and care-experienced young people. Key discussions included updates on the Children's Participation Team and Children in Care Council, the Croydon Children's Services Corporate Parenting Annual Report 2023/24, and the Annual Report of the Croydon Independent Reviewing Service 2023-2024.

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

The Board received a comprehensive update on the work of the Children's Participation Team and the Children in Care Council (CICC). The team is now fully staffed with four participation officers. The second quarterly report of the CICC highlighted several key initiatives:

• Staying Close Project: Collaboration with the Care Experienced Young People (CEYP) Service to identify peer mentors for younger individuals, with funding secured from the Department for Education (DfE).
• Work Experience Programme: A partnership with the CEYP and Croydon Housing Call Centre to develop an eight-week training programme for care-experienced young people, with the potential for full-time employment. This programme is set to launch in February 2025.
• Young Quality Assessor: The CICC is working with the Children's Integrated Commissioning Team to ensure the perspectives of 16–17-year-old young people are considered by providers of supported accommodation.

The Board also heard about the diversity within the Ambassador programme, with a detailed comparison of CICC participant demographics against the overall Children Looked After (CLA) population in Croydon. The demographics were found to be closely aligned. The team's Themed Primary Age Offer, including a Halloween Festival, was also mentioned, coinciding with National Care Leavers Week. The Chair suggested creating a hashtag to show solidarity with care leavers during this week. The development of a new Children's Home in Sanderstead was welcomed, with the Chair noting its potential to provide intensive therapeutic support and reduce costs. Safety and decoration considerations for the new home were raised by a care-experienced young person.

Update on Protected Characteristic Working Group

A verbal update was provided on the Protected Characteristic Working Group. The group reviewed information and considered three options regarding the adoption of protective characteristics. The unanimously agreed recommendation was to adopt a position where all Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) across the council must consider the needs and impact of decisions on care-experienced young people. An evaluation of this change will be presented in a year. Discussions also touched upon the definition of an Episode of Care, the scope of the protected characteristic, and potential legal implications regarding the disclosure of care status. The Corporate Director of CYPE and the Director of Children's Social Care confirmed that the EQIA framework would be refreshed, and changes to cover care-experienced individuals would be discussed with the Mayor's Advisory Board. The Board acknowledged the importance of learning from other local authorities and ensuring the EQIA process holds the council accountable for decisions affecting care-experienced young people.

Croydon Children's Services Corporate Parenting Annual Report 2023/24

The Board received the Croydon Children's Services Corporate Parenting Annual Report 2023/24. Highlights included the involvement of care-experienced young people in the improvement process, increased stability within the Looked After Children and Young People's service, and the creation of the Early Permanence team. The Corporate Parenting Strategy focuses on improving the quality and affordability of housing for care-experienced young people, with the establishment of a multi-agency Housing Pathway Panel. A pilot project for a voids standard was introduced to ensure a set standard of accommodation for young people. The report also detailed ongoing support for young people transitioning to adulthood, including financial management workshops with external agency Money House. The development of the Croydon Cares care leavers' app, co-designed with young people, is set to launch in November 2024.

Annual Report of Croydon Independent Reviewing Service 2023-2024

The Annual Report of the Croydon Independent Reviewing Service (IRS) for 2023-2024 was presented. The service reported an increase in CLA reviews, with a significant improvement in the number of late reviews. The participation rate for CLA reviews remains high at 90%, with efforts to make review meetings more engaging for children, including creative approaches and co-chairing. The report also noted an increase in the resolution process for care plan issues. New developments include the integration of fostering IROs, joint housing assessments for homeless children, and assistance for 18+ care-experienced young people facing transition challenges or in custody. The average IRO caseload was reported as 59, which is within the recommended range. The Board also discussed the council's approach to risk assessment and safeguarding in housing allocation for care-experienced young people, highlighting the integration of community safety data and youth consultation.

Health & Adults Sub-Group Discussion

A verbal update on the Health & Adults Sub-Group was provided. Progress on the adult and health pathway has been challenging, with no local authorities or Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) able to share a current pathway at the time of the meeting. The Adult Social Care team is identifying community-led support opportunities for the mental health of care-experienced young people, with over 200 types of groups and clubs identified through the Community Catalyst Project. The new care leavers' app will be instrumental in developing this approach further. The CLA Designated Health Professional is also working with young ambassadors to explore the inclusion of health summaries for care-experienced young people in the NHS app.

Performance Report

The Corporate Parenting Board reviewed the Performance reports for June and August 2024. The Director of Children's Social Care confirmed that updated reports, including Care Leaver indicators, were provided, along with commentary on consistently red indicators. Clarification was given on CLA health indicators, with a one-month time lag for data availability. The Director explained that historical corrections contributed to dataset differences. Regarding the permanence indicator, it was noted that the small cohort size and individual children's needs influenced adoption timescales. Delays in pathway plans were attributed to high sickness levels among Personal Advisors (PAs), though covering staff had assisted. The Board stressed the importance of timely pathway plans and PA support, with an agreement to conduct a deep dive into pathway plans and PA sickness. A culture change in the last two years was highlighted as a positive development.