What is Corporate Parenting?
In 2014, the Scottish Government passed a law called the 2014 Children and Young People Scotland Act. This new law named specific organisations and set out that they had parental responsibility to work together to uphold the rights and support the needs and wellbeing of looked after and care experienced children, young people and care leavers across Scotland.
Good corporate parents want the same outcomes for their looked after and care experienced children and young people as any good parent would want for their own children. The will accept responsibility for them and make their needs a priority.
In Aberdeen we believe that corporate parenting is not just a responsibility. It is also a real opportunity to improve the futures of our children and young people and ensure they have the love, security and chances every child should have.
This 4 minute video from Who Cares? Scotland explains more about what Corporate Parenting is:
The Language of Care
'System language' can have negative effects on our children and young people. The Independent Care Review told us that it made young people feel different, stigmatised, or excluded from participating in their own care planning.
'Child/ Young person/ Person with Care Experience' is the preferred terminology identified by those with experience of the care system as it is inclusive of those who may no longer be 'looked after' but still require our scaffold of support to thrive. This term includes those currently looked after and those who have been looked after at any time in their life, no matter how shore, including adopted children who were previously looked after.
Children and young people can be both 'looked after' and have experience of care at the same time.
A child or young person is 'Looked after' when:
- Accommodated by the local authority under s25 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995
- Subject to a compulsory supervision order (CSO) or interim CSO made under the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011
- Has a similar order from England, Wales or Northern Ireland
- A Permanence Order has been made under the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007
Children and young people can be looked after at home with social work support, or in kinship, foster or residential care.
'Care Leaver' describes a young person who was 'looked after' on or after their 16th birthday and who is aged under 26. This is a necessary distinction from 'care experienced' as it reflects legal entitlement to Throughcare and Aftercare support.
What is a Champions Board?
A Champions Board is made up of professionals from different organisations who have the power to make positive changes for children and young people with care experience. They meet with the young people involved in ACE four times a year to offer their support, listen to what needs to be done and to take responsibility for their organisation in making care better for young people.
Corporate Parenting Performance and Improvement Group
The Corporate Parenting Performance and Improvement Group (CPPIG) has responsibility for the delivery of the Corporate Parenting Plan, collation and monitoring of data and quality assurance in relation to care experienced children and young people, delivering on identified aims set out in the LOIP and driving the implementation of The Promise across the Partnership. It engages with children and young people with care experience and ensures all improvement activity takes full account of their views and lived experiences.
Corporate Parenting Annual Report and Plan 23-26
In Aberdeen we want to do our best to be good Corporate Parents and improve the lives of our care experienced infants, children, young people and young adults. Our Annual Report and Corporate Parenting Plan 2023-2026 explain in more detail what we have done as Corporate Parents and what we plan to do next.
You can access a Child-friendly guide to our Corporate Parenting Plan 2023-2026 here: