The Corporate Parenting Board of Worcestershire Council met on Thursday 7 May 2026 to discuss the NEET Task and Finish Group Report, the Corporate Parenting Board Annual Report, and Life Story Work. The Board received a verbal update on the NEET strategy, heard about the progress and achievements of the past year, and discussed the importance and current status of Life Story Work for children in care.

NEET Task and Finish Group Report

Councillor Natalie McVey, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families, provided a verbal update on the work of the NEET Task and Finish Group. The group has been examining the effectiveness of the NEET Strategy and has met with key officers and visited the Careers Hub at The Hive, Worcester. While the group has not yet directly consulted with young people about their experiences, their feedback will be incorporated into the final report.

Several recommendations are under consideration by the group. These include improving the timeliness of discussions with young people regarding accommodation, increasing the availability of short courses, ensuring dedicated key workers for care leavers, and identifying employers willing to support care leavers. The group is also looking at better assessment of children in years 10 and 11 to identify those at risk of becoming NEET, with the aim of assigning dedicated teachers. A revision of the NEET Strategy itself and an examination of Government funding availability are also key areas of focus. The group's recommendations will be presented to the Board upon completion of their work.

During the subsequent debate, Abbie, a young person with lived experience, shared her difficulties with the financial viability of apprenticeships due to high rent costs, suggesting this as a barrier for care leavers seeking employment. James MacDonald, Group Manager for Care Leavers, acknowledged that rent levels are set nationally but agreed to include this as an item for the shopping list of support needs. Abbie and Alfie also raised concerns about the requirement for GCSE Maths and English passes for care leavers seeking employment. Ruth Hill, Assistant Director Child Protection and Throughcare, advised that many employment opportunities do not require these qualifications, although they are necessary for apprenticeship programmes. Alfie suggested that young people should explore online apprenticeship opportunities.

Corporate Parenting Board Annual Report

The Board received the Corporate Parenting Board Annual Report for 2025/2026, presented by Councillor Justin Bowen, Chair of the Board and Lead Member for Children. Councillor Bowen highlighted the Board's progress in reaffirming corporate parenting pledges, placing the voice of children and young people at the heart of its operations, and focusing on action. He noted increased engagement with young people, including their attendance at Board meetings and their influence on the Board's agenda and communication style.

The report detailed significant developments in Children's Services, including a nearly 20% increase in mainstream foster homes. It also outlined the Board's priorities for 2024/2025, which included the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people, the recruitment and support of foster carers, and improving the low level of young people in employment, education, or training (NEET).

Key headlines from the year included progress on the NEET strategy, with care leavers increasingly achieving in education, employment, and training, exceeding national averages. A dedicated Employment Personal Advisor has been appointed, and the Care Leaver apprenticeship offer has expanded. Bespoke apprenticeship opportunities have been secured with the NHS and Waitrose.

The Virtual School reported that looked-after children in Worcestershire are closing the gap with their peers in educational outcomes, with attendance at its highest level since 2021-22. Priorities for the next academic year include further trauma-informed training for schools, delivering the RADY programme, and improving education for children with a social worker and those with an Education, Health and Care Plan. The report also noted a celebration event held in October 2025 to recognise the personal successes of children and young people.

Regarding the physical and emotional health of looked-after children, the Board heard about the successful implementation of a strategy to address delays in health assessments, with 78% of children now having an up-to-date assessment. The Youth Voice team collaborated with health colleagues to create a video explaining health assessments to children. Specialist mental health services, ANCHOR and ONSIDE, are available for children and young people up to 25 years old. A concern was raised that Worcestershire Care Leavers do not receive free prescriptions, unlike other Care Leavers in the region, and this has been escalated by the Chairperson.

The Board also reviewed the transformation plan for WCC Fostering, aimed at increasing the recruitment and retention of fostering households. The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) service reported on its oversight and scrutiny of looked-after children's care plans, noting a stable and experienced cohort of IROs and increased engagement with children and young people. The Youth Voice Team's annual report highlighted their activities and influence, including the expansion of peer mentor apprenticeships. The Care Leavers team's annual report detailed continued focus on supporting young people into independence, with a revised local offer being developed in collaboration with young people. The Board has also supported access to leisure opportunities for children and young people, including discounted gym access, theatre visits, and participation in projects like the Allotment Project and Worcester City Football Club.

Life Story Work

The Board received a report on Life Story Work, which aims to help children understand their own stories in a way that makes sense to them. The report highlighted that while Life Story Work, when completed, is of high quality and recognised by Ofsted, it is not consistently embedded across all cohorts of children. Currently, only 19.1% of children in care have Life Story Work recorded, with 80.9% having no record. Children in stable foster care placements and those who have been in care longer are more likely to have this work completed, whereas children in residential care, those earlier in their care journey, and those subject to Special Guardianship Orders are less likely to have it recorded. The average time in care for children with Life Story Work recorded is 5.8 years, compared to 2.6 years for those without.

For children with a Special Guardianship Order, only 13% have Life Story Work recorded. Among adopted children, 78% have a completed Life Story Book, and 68% have a completed Later Life Letter, though some are still awaiting completion. The report concluded that Life Story Work needs to start earlier, be consistently recorded, and sustained beyond adoption to ensure all children benefit. Steps to strengthen management oversight include Group Managers tracking completion via the Permanence Tracker, Team Managers being accountable for progress, and IROs escalating missing or delayed work.

The report also detailed the importance of Life Story Work, which helps children understand their history, supports identity development, and promotes security and permanence. Legislation such as the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and the Children Act 1989 and 2004 mandates local authorities to provide information about children's history. Social workers shared their perspectives, emphasizing the privilege and pressure of undertaking this crucial work. Independent Reviewing Officers provide oversight by checking life story materials at statutory reviews and escalating concerns. The report included feedback from children, carers, and adopters, highlighting the positive impact of Life Story Work.

Work Plan

The Board noted its future work plan. It was suggested that work on the implications of Local Government reorganisation for the Corporate Parenting Board should be added to the November agenda. James MacDonald provided an update on the Wishlist of support items for care leavers, noting that some items would require the support of District Council Members. Progress was also being made on post-25 support, Council Tax exemptions for care leavers living out of county, and the potential for care leavers to claim protected characteristic status. It was suggested that the wishlist be rag-rated (categorised by colour to indicate status) before the next Board meeting. The Board was informed that the Government had approved free prescriptions and dental treatment for care leavers nationally, but implementation guidance was still awaited.