The Corporate Parenting Board of Croydon Council was scheduled to discuss the performance of services for looked-after children and care-experienced young people, as well as receive updates on housing stability and the role of Independent Reviewing Officers. The meeting's agenda included a review of the terms of reference for the board and updates from the Children's Participation Team and Children in Care Council.

Performance Report

The meeting was scheduled to consider the Performance Report for October 2025, which detailed various indicators related to children looked after (CLA) and care-experienced young people (CEYP). The report provided data on the number and rate of CLA, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). It also tracked key performance metrics such as the percentage of CLA receiving timely visits and up-to-date care plans. For care-experienced young people, the report was set to cover their engagement in education, employment, and training (EET), as well as their accommodation status. Several indicators were flagged as Red, including the percentage of eligible CLA with up-to-date Pathway Plans, and the percentage of CLA aged 17 and 18 in suitable accommodation, with commentary suggesting recording gaps and a need for focused updating exercises.

Thematic Focus: Housing - Permanence & Stability

Reviews and the role of the Independent Reviewing Officer

The Board was scheduled to receive the Annual Report of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) Service for 2024-2025. This report details the contribution of IROs to the quality assurance and improvement of services for looked-after children. It outlines the legal and statutory context of the IRO role, the profile of the Croydon IRO Service, and caseloads. The report was expected to cover the footprint of the IRO, including the number of Child Looked After (CLA) reviews and 18+ reviews conducted, as well as midway reviews and the resolution framework used to address concerns. The report highlighted that 91% of CLA reviews were held within the timeframe, an improvement from the previous year, and noted that 51% of children turning 18 had received or had planned 18+ monitoring. The report also detailed participation rates for children in their reviews, with 93% actively participating, and parental involvement, with Parent 1 included in 51% of meetings.

Staying Close Project

An update on the Staying Close Project was scheduled, including information on the Merky event held on 29th October 2025. The project aims to provide support to young people as they transition out of care.

Housing Pathways Update

A verbal update on Housing Pathways was also on the agenda, likely to cover the services and support available to care-experienced young people regarding their housing needs.

Terms of Reference

The Board was scheduled to review its current Terms of Reference. These terms define the purpose and objectives of the Corporate Parenting Board, which acts as an advisory body to support and make recommendations on matters related to corporate parenting. The objectives include promoting a whole council and partnership approach to standards of care for looked-after children and care-experienced young people, fostering co-parenting, and setting high expectations for stable relationships and homes. The Board is intended to ensure that the voices of children and young people inform services and to develop data to measure key performance indicators.

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

A verbal update was expected from the Children's Participation Team and the Children in Care Council. This would likely include information on activities, forums, and collaborations aimed at engaging young people and ensuring their voices are heard in the development of services. Previous updates have highlighted initiatives such as spoken word workshops, the Merky HQ Space for activities, and deep dive sessions with the Child Protection Service.

The meeting was also scheduled to receive updates on actions agreed at previous meetings and to consider any urgent business.