Our corporate parenting responsibilities

When a child comes into care, we become their "Corporate Parent".  Put simply, this means the collective responsibility of the council, elected members, employees, and partner agencies, for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by the council. 

A child in the care of the council looks to the whole council to be the best parent it can be to that child. Every member and employee of the council has the statutory responsibility to act for and care for that child in the same way that a good parent would act for and care for their child.

Every good parent wants the best for their child.  They want to see their child flourish with good health, to be safe and happy, to do well at school, to enjoy good relationships with their peers, make the most of leisure opportunities, hobbies and interests, and to grow towards adulthood equipped to lead independent lives and to make their way as adults in higher education, in good careers and jobs, and financially secure. 

That’s why we have the same goals for the children we look after as those of every good parent, and we take seriously the moral as well our legal responsibility for enabling the children in our care to experience happy and fulfilling lives.

Some helpful information about our Corporate Parenting role:

• Our Corporate Parenting Strategy
• Local Government Corporate Parenting Resource Pack
• Newcastle Safeguarding Children Board
• Our Pledge for Looked After Children
• Our Care Leavers Offer
• The Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee is a non-partisan committee of elected members representing all political parties, chaired by the Lead Member for Children's Services with the role of ensuring that the council fulfils its responsibilities and duties to looked after children.
• Members Council
• For information about our fostering services including our Fostering Statement of Purpose visit our Fostering Service.
• For information about our regional adoption agency,  visit Adopt North East.
• For information about our Children in Care Council, visit Voices for Choices.

Independent Visitors

The Independent Visitor Scheme is a befriending scheme for children and young people between the ages of 8 and 18 years old who are cared for by the local authority. Newcastle City Council has commissioned Nepacs, a third sector organisation, to deliver these services. 

Independent visitors are not professional care workers. They are adult volunteers who provide support and friendship to a child or young person cared for by the local authority. This involves establishing a long-term supportive relationship where the young person will have the opportunity to develop their interests, learn new skills and build their self-esteem.

An adult is matched with a particular child or young person and visits them a minimum of once a month, building up a friendship with them and doing things together which the child or young person enjoys. This can be going for a bike ride, having a chat over a hot chocolate, watching a film together, visiting a museum - whatever the child or young person is interested in and wants to do.
Most visits naturally take place on evenings, at weekends or in school holidays when children and young people are free.

Nepacs provides an Independent Visitor Service in County Durham, Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, South Tyneside and Northumberland.
Children who might benefit from the service should be referred by their social worker. The referral form is available here via the Local Resources website.

If you would like to find out more about the service, the role or you would like to get involved in the service please go to the Nepacs website for more information.

To apply, please get in touch with our volunteer coordinator for more information or to request an application pack. Email volunteering@nepacs.co.uk 
 

To find out the difference you can make as an Independent Visitor watch Max’s story.