Corporate Parenting Strategy 2025 to 2030

The Corporate Parenting Panel has been set up by Full Council to ensure that the Local Authority effectively discharges its statutory duties as corporate parent. It provides oversight to ensure that the priorities listed in this strategy remain a focus in all areas of activity. The panel formalises the strategic partnerships which facilitate our arrangements for ensuring that care experienced children, young people and adults within Buckinghamshire achieve the best possible outcomes.

The Panel is led by councillors and reports back to Full Council. It ensures that councillors can engage with and discharge their Corporate Parenting responsibilities including scrutiny of this strategy. The panel also brings partners together as part of their ‘duty to cooperate’ and support the council to fulfil their corporate parenting role.

The Corporate Parenting Panel will be vocal about the specific needs of care experienced people. This will be done through elected members, council officers, partner agencies working with each other and with children and young people. The Panel will ensure that corporate parenting duties are discussed at all levels, and that services are developed with the needs of care experienced people in mind to enable full access to the widest possible resources to support successful outcomes.

At the heart of the Council’s governance, oversight and accountability arrangements are Statutory roles emphasising the political and officer leadership and accountability for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of care experienced children: the Chief Executive, the Director for Children’s Services, the Lead Member for Children’s Services, and the Council Leader.

The Director of Children’s Services and Lead member for Children’s Services will report to the Chief Executive and to the Council Leader respectively. They are the post holders with ultimate responsibility in this context for the political and corporate leadership of the Council. They hold the accountability for ensuring the effectiveness of steps taken and capacity to improve outcomes for all care experienced children and young people is reflected across the full range of the Council’s business.

The reach and impact of the strategy will be maximised through links with existing boards and accountability structures such as the Buckinghamshire Children’s Safeguarding Partnership and Health and Wellbeing Board, with clear processes for escalation.