Corporate parenting
Our promise to the children in our care
The Corporate Parenting Promise and local offer for care leavers are our commitments to the children and young people we care for.
The promise set outs how we will provide children and young people with the best possible care, support and access to opportunities to their current and future needs. Along with the local offer for care leavers, the promise helps young people become independent and reach their full potential.
Our promise was developed through a series of workshops and consultations with looked after children and care leavers. The Promise details what young people in care want from North East Lincolnshire Council and the officers who work there.
Our promises to children in care and care leavers:
- Relationships – They have been found to be the most important promise for young people and children as having consistent, positive, and trusting relationships is the key to everything else, whether that be with staff at NELC, or family members and foster carers.
- Where you live – This promise strives to ensure young people in care live with people who are well-trained to support and care for them. This in turn will guarantee young people and children are set up well for their future.
- Ready for the future – This promise is pivotal in providing the skills young people want to ensure they are ready to enter the adult world. It is so important for young people to have access to practical, emotional, and financial support.
- Support for you – This promise evolves around understanding the needs of young people and children for our services at NELC to be developed appropriately for their needs and uses. This promise also means that young people will importantly be involved in the decision making and employment of staff at the council.
- Participation in society – Since the relaunch of the new promise, we have learnt how important participation in society is for young people and children in care. It is so important for a range of options to be available for our young people so they feel heard within decision making.
- Education, training, and employment – It is vital for us as Corporate Parents to understand young people’s needs regarding options for education, training, and employment. This involves connecting young people with the best opportunities in the area to get the job the young person wants, to develop their skills and importantly, confidence.
- Health and wellbeing – This promise not only helps to promote physical health, but emotional and psychological health too, making it all the more important to keep in mind! It is so important to ensure young people and children have easy access to these services throughout their time in care.
Download our Corporate Parenting Promise poster (PDF, 1MB) .
Your feedback on the promise is very valuable. Please let us know your thoughts by filling in our short survey Corporate Parenting Promise Feedback.
Our Voice, Listen Up
Children looked after ages between 10 and 17 have a council where they can comment on what matters to them, and allows them to share their views and feelings.
Group members meet regularly to take part in the discussions and activities and eat together. For more information go to Your Voice.
Corporate parenting board
The Corporate Parenting Board is there to make sure we fulfill our duties towards children and young people in our care.
The board is made up of six elected members.
Elected Member role in Corporate Parenting
Elected members role as a corporate parent should be taken very seriously. The needs of children looked after need to be acknowledge and understood, and our promise upheld by the council and our partners.
Duties of an elected member as corporate parents:
- Ensure the provision of care provided is the best possible, safeguarding for children looked after
- Ask yourself “Would this be good enough for my own child?”
- Have a clear understanding of the issues faced by children looked after and care leavers
- Ensure those responsible for their welfare and education are held to account
- Remember that children placed outside the borough are still your responsibility
- Support young people and care leavers to access opportunities into training and work
- Keep children and young people informed through appropriate channels
- Find ways to raise awareness of the corporate parenting role
- Consideration to any possible impact on care leavers and children looked after about any council change