Agenda item

Andreas Feldhaar, Permanence Service, Lancashire County Council

To develop a partnership plan for four overarching key priorities to promote permanence and support the objectives of our Corporate Parenting Strategy as identified at the last meeting held on 16 June 2021.

·  Placements and Provisions

·  Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

·  Safeguarding

·  Education, Employment and Training

Andreas Feldhaar, Permanence Service, Lancashire County Council outlined to the Board new developments that had taken place since the last workshop in June 2021:

Children and young people have a voice in the way we deliver our service (Objective 1)

·  A Care Leaver consultation had taken place at the end of June by the Care Leaving Service on the Local Offer, young people's expectations on their Personal Advisors, how the service communicates and shares information with young people, how Personal Advisors write about young people and how they can access their records.  Feedback will be evaluated, and this will form future service delivery.

·  Child and Family Wellbeing Service summer involvement events for LINX (Lancashire's Children in Care Service) and the Care Leaver Forum (further information will be given later in the agenda).

Care Leavers in Lancashire will have a Local Offer (Objective 3)

·  Following the Care Leaver Consultation the Local Offer will be reviewed, particularly looking at accommodation, preparation for life, health and wellbeing and education, employment and training (EET).

Children and young people will have a suitable place to live and be cared for (Objective 5)

With the support of Care Leavers a National Housing project has been secured which is another supported housing scheme to provide young people aged 17+ with permanent homes.

Following the last workshop the Board had in June 2021, the following four partnership priorities with the most complex objectives were identified as:

Placements and Provision

Ø   Objective 5 - Children and young people will have a suitable place to live and be cared for.

Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

Ø  Objective 6 - The health and wellbeing of our children and young people in care and care leavers will be a priority for Lancashire County Council.

Safeguarding

Ø  Objective 8 - Children are protected from harm and risk of exploitation.

Education, Employment, Training

Ø  Objective 4 - Children and young people will be supported in their education.

The Board engaged in a workshop and a group had been set up for each of the four objectives identified which would incorporate participation and partnership working.  There was also a request to elected members on the Board to consider becoming a Champion for one of the four objectives due to the complexity that they present and it was felt that the Champions would strengthen the opportunities and the service that can be provided under the objectives.

The four questions that each group were required to discuss in the workshop were:

To achieve effective partnership working:

·  What information does the CPB need to support each of the objectives and who from?

·  Who needs to get involved to help the CPB to achieve positive outcomes for our children and young people for each of the objectives and how?

·  What can the CBP do to support this process?

·  How does the CPB want to be informed about progress on each of the objectives?

Following the workshop, the facilitators reported back from each of the four groups.  Feedback from the break-out sessions can be found attached to the minutes.  Following the workshop today and the one that took place in June, a format for the Board going forwards, will then be developed by the Permanence Service alongside an action plan which will be based on information received from both workshops and this will be shared at the next meeting of the Board in September.

Resolved:  i)  That elected members inform the Chair, County Councillor Clarke if they wish to become a Champion for one of the four objectives prior to the next Board meeting.

ii)  That following both workshops, the Permanence Service will develop a format and an action plan for the Board meeting in September.