The Corporate Parenting Panel of Harrow Council met on Monday 30 June 2025 to discuss updates on children missing from care, children looked after and care leavers in custody, and the leaving care service. The panel also reviewed performance data and received an update on the Virtual School's summer term report.

Children Missing from Care

The panel received an update on children missing from care, with data presented for Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 of the 2024-2025 period. Diane Saunders, Service Manager for Children and Communities, presented the findings, noting a reduction in the number of children missing from care compared to the previous year, with figures now lower than statistical neighbours and on par with the national average. The report highlighted that 11% of children looked after had experienced missing episodes, a decrease from 12% the previous year. A significant 88% of young people who had been missing were offered and accepted a return home interview, a figure described as extremely high compared to other boroughs.

Discussions focused on the interventions and support mechanisms in place, including immediate police notification, strategy meetings within three working days, and the involvement of various partner agencies. The panel heard about disruption techniques such as national alerts and grab packs, as well as the weekly missing meetings involving social workers, police, and health professionals. Councillor Chetna Halai raised concerns about the clarity of data regarding the 12% of missing children not offered a return home interview, and Councillor Aneka Shah-Levy inquired about the timeliness of interventions for children at higher risk. Councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman asked about the specific risk factors identified for children going missing and whether there were emerging patterns.

Children Looked After and Care Leavers in Custody

Deborah Harewood, Service Manager for Leaving Care, presented an update on children looked after and care leavers in custody. The report indicated that there were nine care leavers in custody at the time of writing, with one under 18 in youth offending services. The panel heard that two young people had been recalled due to not adhering to bail conditions. Harewood emphasised the importance of regular visits from social workers or personal advisors, noting that for some, these might be the only visits they receive. The report also detailed the weekly allowance of £10 provided to young people in custody for personal items, a measure to prevent them from being extorted. On release, support is provided for onward accommodation, typically in supported shared housing. Councillor Hitesh Karia, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, highlighted the vulnerability of this cohort and the importance of consistent support. Councillor Simon Brown inquired about the types of offences leading to custody, and Harewood confirmed a broad spectrum from substance misuse to violent crime.

Leaving Care Service

Fize Ahmed, newly appointed to Harrow Council, provided an update on the Leaving Care Service, which was relaunched on 31 March 2025 following an Ofsted inspection. The service aims to be accessible, welcoming, and responsive, with a vision to create a clear pathway from being looked after to adulthood. Key developments include a recruitment drive to reduce caseloads for personal advisors to a manageable 18-20, and the appointment of a permanent service manager and three team managers. Comprehensive training for staff is being rolled out, focusing on building purposeful relationships with care leavers and understanding their wishes and feelings. A new care leaver app is planned for launch in October, and the existing Care Leaver Offer is being revamped in consultation with young people. Councillor Aneka Shah-Levy expressed keen interest in seeing statistics on training rollout and feedback, as well as progress on pathway plans. The panel also discussed the historical practice of closing cases for care leavers at age 21 and the current efforts to re-engage and support care leavers up to the age of 25.

Information Report: Activity and Performance

Dipika Patel, Partner in the Business Intelligence Unit, presented an information report on the activity and performance for children looked after and care leavers. The report highlighted that Harrow's rate of children looked after (CLA) per 10,000 children remains below statistical neighbour and England averages. The age profile of CLA has shifted slightly, with an increase in children aged 1-9. The report noted that while Harrow is a diverse borough, making direct ethnic comparisons with statistical neighbours challenging, there is an underrepresentation of White and Asian CYP within the looked-after cohort and an overrepresentation of Mixed, Black, and Other ethnic groups. For care leavers, Harrow is in contact with a higher proportion than statistical neighbours, and a greater percentage are in suitable accommodation and education, employment, or training (EET). Areas for improvement identified include the timeliness of CLA reviews, long-term placement stability, and CLA absence from education. Councillor Chetna Halai specifically requested information on how to improve the timeliness of CLA reviews and suggested adding a column to performance reports detailing actions being taken to address areas marked as red.

Virtual School Summer Term Report

Melina Williamson-Taylor, Virtual School Headteacher, presented the Virtual School's summer term report. The report highlighted consistent performance for CLA at the end of Key Stage 4, with Harrow's CLA achieving above the national average for good GCSEs in English and Maths. The report also detailed the work of the Virtual School's Specialist Psychology Service, which provides therapy sessions for children and young people, carers, and consultations for professionals. Paula Ariazu, a psychologist working with the Virtual School, shared an example of how the service supported a special guardianship carer, demonstrating the importance of supporting the network around the child. The panel also heard about efforts to improve school attendance, including participation in the Attachment Research Community (ARC) programme, which aims to make schools more attachment and trauma-aware. Councillor Hitesh Karia commended the Virtual School for its work and the positive impact of the Specialist Psychology Service.