The Corporate Parenting Board of Lancashire County Council met on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, and approved the draft Corporate Parenting Strategy for 2026-2030. The meeting also included updates on participation initiatives, district team performance, and a peer review of the leaving care service.

Corporate Parenting Strategy 2026-2030

The Board reviewed and approved the draft Corporate Parenting Strategy for 2026-2030. This strategy is a statutory requirement and builds upon the principles of corporate parenting, which include listening to young people, acting on their views, supporting their access to services, and maintaining high aspirations for them, equivalent to those for the council's own children. The current strategy, which runs until 2026, has eight objectives aligned with four priorities: Achieving Permanence, Lasting Homes, Health and Wellbeing, and Education, Employment and Training. Key achievements under the current strategy include embedding a model of practice, strengthening partnerships, reducing the number of children in care, improving stability and permanence plans, enhancing the Local Offer, and implementing a Dental Pathway and revised Health Summaries.

The new strategy will need to consider national reforms, including the forthcoming Children's Social Care and Schools Bill, which will extend corporate parenting duties to partners such as NHS bodies and education providers, making these responsibilities statutory. The ambitions for the 2026-2030 strategy include reflecting these extended duties, maintaining a whole council approach, strengthening co-production, aligning with reform pillars, improving multi-agency ambition and outcome monitoring, and recognising care experience as a protected characteristic. Board members worked in groups to identify priorities, objectives, measures for progress, and key partners for the new strategy.

Participation Team Update

Young people from the Care Leavers Forum (CLF) provided an update on their recent activities. This included the production of a podcast titled Don't Assume You Know Me, which features four episodes sharing the stories and experiences of care-experienced young people and staff. The CLF also participated in a corporate parenting workshop focused on stigma and stereotypes.

Lancashire's Children in Care Council (LINX) and the Care Leavers Forum (CLF) were nominated for the Amplify National Voice Awards, recognising their achievements. They were shortlisted and subsequently won the Amplify Participation Award. Two young people represented the groups at the awards ceremony in London.

A new e-learning training module on Participation and the Lundy Model has been launched, co-written with young people. This training emphasises children's rights to voice and influence and will be available via the Safeguarding Partnership. The Board was encouraged to complete and share this training. The Board resolved to note the update and requested that members watch the podcast episodes and complete the Lundy Model Training.

District Team Update

An update was provided on children in care and care leavers in the Chorley and South Ribble areas. The team reported on the demographics of children in care, including those living at home, in residential homes, kinship arrangements, foster homes, and supported accommodation. Challenges in foster care sufficiency were noted, leading to increased residential placements, with plans to explore kinship options and step-down arrangements.

Regarding stability and permanence, 92 children were living in lasting homes, and 81.1% of children under 16 who had been looked after for 2.5 years remained in the same home for two years. However, 7.1% of young people had experienced three or more moves in the past 12 months, often due to complex needs. Chorley and South Ribble were highlighted as having one of the highest stability rates in the county.

For care leavers aged 18-25, the update covered various accommodation types, including supported housing, private rentals, and social housing. Employment, education, and training figures were positive, with care leavers in Chorley and South Ribble exceeding county averages in engagement. Housing and accessibility were also discussed, with most care leavers in suitable accommodation, though rental affordability and rural isolation were identified as challenges. Additional support and initiatives, such as free prescriptions for care leavers and the KEY programme, were highlighted. Feedback from care-experienced young people included requests for more housing options, universal bus passes, and increased leaving care allowances. The Board thanked the team for their update.

Peer Review of Leaving Care Service

Andreas Feldhaar, from the Permanence Service, provided an update on the peer review of Lancashire's Leaving Care Service, conducted by St Helens Leaving Care Service. The review identified key strengths in workforce stability and positive culture, engagement with young people, and the accommodation offer and commitment to education, employment, and training. Areas for reflection included enhancing preparation for adulthood and the housing offer, as well as improving accessibility and engagement. Actions already taken based on the review include reinstating the allocation of personal advisers at age 16 and reinforcing strength-based language in practice. The Board noted the findings and discussed the areas for improvement.

Other Matters

The Board noted the calendar of meetings for 2026/2027. Caroline Waldron from NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board requested that an item on health responsibilities for children in care and care leavers be included on a future agenda. Andreas Feldhaar announced the production of the first Corporate Parenting Yearbook, celebrating the educational achievements of care-experienced young people in 2025, which will be an annual publication. The Board resolved that a copy of the yearbook would be shared with members.