The Corporate Parenting Board met on Thursday, 7 May 2026. The meeting included a confirmation of the minutes from the previous meeting on 27 January 2026, with a correction regarding a pronoun used for a young person named Alfie.

Health Assessments

The Board received an update on health assessments for children in care. Figures presented showed improvements in the timeliness of Initial Health Assessments (IHAs), with 34 out of 38 in-county children seen within the acceptable timeframe. Four children were still awaiting IHAs due to complex needs, interpreter requirements, or dual tracking for adoption. The Specialist Nurse Team for Children in Care has expanded, enabling work to address a backlog of Review Health Assessments (RHAs), though 63 remained outstanding at the end of December 2025. The overall percentage of children in care with up-to-date health assessments improved to 71%. An improvement plan for the next 3-6 months includes moving to a caseload basis for nurses from January 2026 to enhance continuity and consistency. Feedback from other areas praised the quality of Worcestershire's health assessments and the support provided by specialist nurses. The report also mentioned government plans for free prescriptions, dental care, and eye care for care leavers up to age 25. The ANCHOR service, supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of looked-after children, had no reported impact from delays in RHA completion, as social workers are the primary referral source.

ANCHOR Service

A presentation was given on the ANCHOR service, which supports looked-after children aged 0-18 in Worcestershire, particularly those with attachment or trauma needs. The team includes Clinical Psychologists, Social Workers, a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, and administrative staff, collaborating with Specialist Nurses for Looked After Children and the Green Fingers Project. The service offers support to professionals, carers, and directly to children through therapies focused on trauma and difficult life experiences. The Green Fingers Project provides education, health, and wellbeing sessions through activities like gardening and woodwork. Feedback from a social worker highlighted the usefulness of Thinking Spaces for practice reflection. Audits of children closed to ANCHOR between February 2022 and February 2024 indicated that 76% remained with the same carers or had moved to adoptive parents, birth families, or independent living, suggesting positive outcomes for placement stability. Feedback from a carer and a young person demonstrated the service's positive impact.

Feedback on NEET Task and Finish Group

A verbal update was provided on the work of the NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) Task and Finish Group. The discussion included the availability of a £3k bursary for young people, the benefits of work for structure and well-being, and concerns about paying utility bills. The possibility of care leavers having free access to the Worcestershire On Demand bus service was suggested for investigation. The importance of understanding children's career passions and providing support for them to enter the workforce was emphasized. The service has a dashboard tracking young people looking for work, with approximately 40% of care leavers seeking employment at any given time.

Timeout Card Update

A verbal update was given on the use of Timeout cards. Independent Reviewing Officers have these cards available for children and young people, who are aware of their availability. The service is exploring more creative and informal meeting approaches, such as during car journeys or walks. Childcare review meetings are used as opportunities for children to share their stories, with notes feeding into their life stories. Independent Reviewing Officers are concerned about unregulated care homes and discuss circumstances with young people to identify safeguarding issues, also visiting facilities to ensure adequacy.

Work Plan

The Board considered its work plan. Actions were noted regarding the inclusion of the Wish List as a standard agenda item, a report on housing providers and protocols for care leavers to be brought to the January 2027 Board meeting, and a report on the Fostering and Transformation Plan to be presented at the November Board meeting.

Any Other Business

Ongoing projects were highlighted, including an art project involving young people at Worcester Museum and Gallery and a Fun Day being held at Perdiswell, Worcester.