Corporate Parenting Strategy 2025 to 2030

This strategy has been created in partnership with our care experienced children and young people, services throughout the council and our partner agencies. We are very grateful for their support in developing this work.

The strategy is rooted in the values of our organisation which firmly place children and families at the heart of everything that we do and plays a vital role in helping Buckinghamshire to achieve its vision.

The Corporate Parenting Principles for care experienced children and young people:

All Local Authorities are required to publish a pledge for care experienced children and young people so they understand what support they can expect from their corporate parents. This collective responsibility was first laid out in the Children Act 1989 and 2004, followed by The Leaving Care Act 2000.

In delivering our strategy we will ensure that the Local Authority and all our partners have regard to these national principles when exercising their functions:

• Act in the best interests, and promote the physical and mental health and wellbeing, of children and young people.
• Encourage children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings.
• Take account of the views, wishes and feelings of children and young people.
• Make sure children and young people have access to, and make the best use of, services provided by the local authority and its relevant partners.
• Promote high aspirations and seek to secure the best outcomes for children and young people.
• Make sure children and young people are safe, with stable home lives, relationships and education or work.
• Prepare children and young people for adulthood and independent living.

Whilst set out as a five-year strategy, delivery of the priorities will be supported through robust governance arrangements to ensure ongoing support and engagement in our corporate parenting responsibility.

A child who is cared for by the council has the right to expect everything from a corporate parent that would be expected from good parenting.

• Children need a safe and secure environment in which to grow and thrive.
• Children need protection and support against the dangers and risks of life.
• Children need to be listened to, and their voices heard.
• Children need to be celebrated, and their achievements shared.
• Children need their carers to be ambitious for them and want them to reach their full potential.
• To deliver this we will preface our thinking, planning and decision making with the question...
• 'Would this be good enough for my child?'