Council sets out next steps for corporate parenting

25 August 2017

Aberdeen councillors this week approved a set of measures to ensure it meets its corporate responsibility for care experienced children and young people.

The Council agreed that:

All councillors commit to attending a corporate training session within the next 12 months;

An Action Plan for the development of a Champions Board be noted;

The Lead Officer for Corporate Parenting to report back to Council in 2018 with an update on activities undertaken to ensure Aberdeen City Council is meeting its Corporate Parenting responsibilities;

Promoting the corporate parenting agenda in Council business should continue by raising awareness of the issues affecting care experienced young people and encouraging sustainable change for their benefit.

Councillor John Wheeler, Convener for Education and Children’s Services, said: “Aberdeen City Council is committed to tackling disadvantages among our children and young people. The fact that every councillor will be trained in the Corporate Parenting programme is a signal of the commitment of each and every one of us to ensuring improved outcomes for all of the young in our city.”

Gayle Gorman, Director of Education and Children’s Services, who will act as Champion of Corporate Parenting for Aberdeen City Council, said: “It’s so important that we, as an organisation, take the lead in ensuring the safety, health and well-being of our children and young people and maximising their opportunities in life”.

“I’m proud to be the Council’s Champion of Corporate Parenting and, along with my team, I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure our responsibilities to our young people are met”.

Corporate Parenting responsibility is defined under Part 9 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, for the benefit of care experienced children and young people.