The Corporate Parenting Strategy defines the Council’s aspirations to become a supportive, responsive, considerate and sensitive corporate parent on behalf of Torbay Council. It sets out how the Council will work with cared for and care experienced children and young people and alongside its partners, including education, police and health services, and the community and voluntary sector to achieve this ambition.

The Strategy outlines the commitment of our Partnership to these objectives, and achieving our ambitions through strong strategic, corporate and political leadership and meaningful performance management, a commitment to the ongoing engagement and involvement of children and young people in the development and implementation of our Strategy and associated action plans and effective working together with our partners across Torbay.

That authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Services to launch the 6 week public consultation when appropriate to inform the development of the new Corporate Parenting Strategy.

Under the Children and Social Work Act 2017, the legislative responsibility for local authorities in respect of their corporate parenting duties was outlined. In February 2019, the Department for Education published Statutory Guidance for local authorities and outlined the key principles of Corporate Parenting. In addition, under the Children Act 2004, it was highlighted that local authorities have a duty to promote co-operation between their relevant partners and the Act also highlighted that corporate parenting was a task which should be shared Council-wide and across the partnership. To ensure that across the Council, including elected Members, senior officers and all staff, there was a shared vision, collective responsibility and commitment to our cared for children and care experienced young people, including the provision of quality services for them. The Corporate Parenting Strategy will be informed and updated following a consultation exercise.

Alternative options were not considered.

The decision will be implemented immediately.

Torbay Council’s existing ‘Corporate Parenting Strategy 2022 – 2025’ was due to expire this year and as such, a new strategy was being developed. The Corporate Parenting Strategy defines the Council’s aspirations to become a supportive, responsive, considerate and sensitive corporate parent on behalf of Torbay Council. It sets out how the Council will work with cared for and care experienced children and young people and alongside its partners, including education, police and health services, and the community and voluntary sector, to achieve this ambition. To ensure the development of a comprehensive and inclusive Corporate Parenting Strategy, a thorough consultation process was required. The consultation must happen at the same time as the development of the Strategy itself, as the voice of cared for and care experienced children and young people must influence the creation of the draft Strategy. As such, the consultation needed to take place within the period of other planned activity to ensure that it informed and influenced the Strategy which would then be placed before Cabinet in November 2025 and subsequently Council in December 2025. Therefore, permission was sought from Cabinet to allow the Director of Children’s Services delegated authority to initiate this consultation, in line with the strategy development.

At the meeting Councillor Bye proposed and Councillor Chris Lewis seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out above.

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