Agenda item

(a)  That the revised Pledge setting out the promises to Slough’s Looked After Children be endorsed.

(b)  That a report be considered in the summer of 2016 on the Corporate Parenting Strategy and Action Plan to support the delivery of the Pledge.

The Cabinet considered a report that sought approval to recommend endorsement of a new Pledge to Slough’s Looked After Children to full Council on 19^th April 2016.

The Interim Director of Children’s Services and Chief Executive of Slough Children’s Services Trust explained the purpose and concept of the Pledge which set out the promises to looked after children in Slough.  It was noted that the detailed implementation of the promises would be set out more fully in the Corporate Parenting Strategy, Action Plan and scorecard that were due to come to Cabinet in the summer.  A young person representing the Reach Out group, who had played a leading role in the development of the Pledge, summarised some of the key elements contained in the nineteen promises which covered social care, health, education and housing.  The promises had been developed following extensive consultation with young people and had also been endorsed by the Corporate Parenting Panel.

The Cabinet welcomed the principle of the Pledge and particularly the higher level of aspiration it would set in terms of improving the outcomes for looked after children.   The involvement of young people in the development of the promises was very positive and would to ensure that they reflected their priorities.  Commissioners emphasised the importance of ensuring that the promises could and would be kept and asked a number of questions about how this could be assured.  It was recognised that the improvement of children’s services in Slough was ongoing and that some of the promises were aspirational and would take some time to achieve.  However, the Pledge set out a clear direction to work towards and would be taken forward by the development of the Corporate Parenting Strategy.  The commitments had to be owned and delivered jointly between the Council and the Trust as there were actions for both organisations.  Commissioners all agreed that adopting the Pledge was an important step forward in articulating the specific commitments the Council and Trust were making to looked after children and it provided a clear platform from which to move forward.  Speaking under Procedure Rule 30, Councillor Strutton, a member of the Corporate Parenting Panel, also expressed his support for the Pledge and importance of accelerating improvement in children’s services in Slough.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the Cabinet agreed to recommend endorsement of the Pledge to full Council on 19^th April and agreed to consider a report on the Corporate Parenting Strategy in June or July 2016.

Recommended –

That the revised Pledge setting out the promises to Slough’s Looked After Children be endorsed.

Resolved –

That a report be considered in the summer of 2016 on the Corporate Parenting Strategy and Action Plan to support the delivery of the Pledge.