When a child, for whatever reason, can’t safely stay at home, it is up to the local authority to step in and give them the care, support and stability that they deserve. This is called corporate parenting.
Looking after and protecting children is one of the most important jobs that councils do, however there are greater benefits when organisations work together.
Senior leaders at Birmingham & Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB), and West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner are committed to working with Solihull Council and taking a joint responsibility for corporate parenting in Solihull. This will help young people get greater support and a better start into adult life.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council, said: “I strongly believe that supporting children in care as they grow up needs to be a team effort, rather than just something for the Council to sort.
“Collectively we can offer so much more to young people by drawing on the expertise, experience and resources from other organisations.”
Representatives from health and police, as well as other organisations and businesses within the borough, recently came together at the NEC to learn more about corporate parenting and discuss how they can all contribute to improving young people’s lives.
Most importantly, guests heard directly from young people about their experiences of being in care and their views on how they feel everyone can play a part in making things better for them.
People were given the opportunity to pledge how they might do this and heard about some of the great work already taking place by businesses and organisations in this area.
The pledges ranged from offering work experience and apprenticeship/internship opportunities, supporting with interview practice, providing experience in skilled trades, and committing to more housing support.
Councillor Courts added: “This event was the start of a journey that we will travel on together to improve the life chances of children and young people. I was particularly pleased to hear from employers across Solihull about the work they’re doing in this area.
“Whether it’s support for interviews or just a simple phone call to check in on how someone is doing, we all need to take responsibility and work in partnership. We need to treat those children in Council care as if they were our own.”
Patrick Vernon, Interim Chair of NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, said: “Our ethos for the NHS in Birmingham and Solihull is all about collaboration, and that includes working together with all of our partners to make Birmingham and Solihull not only the best place to work, but somewhere which offers equal opportunities to all. We are committed to giving young people with care experience the right support to help them achieve their ambitions, and look forward to taking this work forwards with our partners over the coming weeks and months.”
Simon Foster, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, added: “West Midlands Police and I are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people who have been in care.
“West Midlands Police takes its responsibility very seriously. For example, if a young person, who is in or has been in care, is arrested and detained then the police will alert the relevant local authority so support for that individual can be stepped up.
“My office will continue to work across the partnership to collectively deliver the best possible parenting and provide opportunities for care experienced children and young people to thrive.”
A Community Parenting Board is set to meet in February 2024, which will continue the work launched at the recent event.