Issue details

When a child comes into care, the county council becomes their corporate parent. Put simply, the term ‘corporate parent’ means the collective responsibility of the council, elected members, employees, and partner agencies, for providing the best possible care and protection that would be expected of a good parent. In fulfilling this role, the critical question that should be asked, is: "would this be good enough for my child?"

The draft Corporate Parenting Strategy 2018 - 2022, attached at Appendix 'A', sets out how we intend to fulfil our corporate parenting responsibilities to all children in our care and care leavers, putting them at the centre of improvements in the planning, delivery and evaluation of our services. The strategy has been developed in partnership with the Corporate Parenting Board. Lancashire's Promises to Children in Care and Care Leavers, attached at Appendix B, informs the core principles of this Corporate Parenting Strategy.

This is deemed to be a Key Decision and the provisions of Standing Order C19 have been complied with.