Children’s charity hails proposed expansion of corporate parenting responsibilities beyond local authorities
Become, a charity for children in care and young care leavers, has welcomed the Government’s proposed amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to expand corporate parenting responsibilities to a wider set of organisations, while noting it could go further to improve the “scaffolding of support” around care-experienced young people.
The amendment would expand the support provided to care-experienced young people beyond local authorities to all Government departments and some public sector bodies, including schools, NHS Trusts and the Youth Justice Board.
Further, it would see a duty placed on public bodies to take care-experienced young people into consideration when designing policies and delivering services, to be alert to their needs, and to take action to improve outcomes.
Last year, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Care-experienced Children and Young People carried out an inquiry into initial Government proposals to expand corporate parenting responsibilities.
The inquiry heard from 200 organisations and individuals, including 160 care-experienced young people, and highlighted the “positive impact” that expanding support would have on the lives of children in care and care leavers.
Become, which co-ordinates the Parliamentary Group, said many of the inquiry’s recommendations have been adopted in the Government’s new proposals.
However, it noted the Government could do more to improve the “scaffolding of support” around care-experienced young people, adding: “We will be studying the details to see how the proposals could be strengthened as the legislation progresses.”
Katharine Sacks-Jones, CEO of Become, said: “For children in care to thrive, support can’t end with their local authority. Health, welfare, education and other services play a huge role in their lives and can shape their futures. We welcome this much needed step to ensure more public bodies take responsibility for supporting young people to live happy and healthy lives.”
Lottie Winson
