Corporate Parenting overview

Elected Members Corporate Parenting Handbook

Being a corporate parent

Please find information about our Corporate Parenting 'online' handbook.

What is Corporate Parenting?

When a child goes into care, the Council, The Trust, its partners, and Elected Members become their Corporate Parent. We remain their Corporate Parent when they leave care too.

That means we are responsible for making sure they have the best possible care and that they are safe, in the same way that a GOOD parent would.

It is a statutory function as highlighted in the Social Work Act 2017.

We are all Corporate Parents!

What is your role as Elected Members?

As Elected Members you have a statutory responsibility as does Birmingham City Council and its partners to reverse the trend and ensure our children and young people have the best start to life and into their adulthood.

Corporate Parenting means that everyone from the Chief Executive down to the front life staff, as well as Elected Council Members, are concerned about those children and care leavers as if they were their own. It needs a culture where council officers do all that is reasonably possible to ensure the council is the ‘best parent’ it can be to the child or young person.

As Corporate Parents, its every councillor’s responsibility to make sure that the council is meeting these duties towards children in care and care leavers.

What can I do in my everyday role?

  • Be an advocate for our children and young people.
  • Raise profile and support within Birmingham City Council and wider.
  • Hold others to account and think ‘is this good enough for my child?’
  • Always think of a child in care or care leaver in policy and practice
  • Ensure services meet the needs of our children and young people (e.g. health, housing, leisure)
  • Use your influence and network in the council and with businesses and organisations that could support.
  • Be part of the Corporate Parenting Board
  • Ensure we maximise our social value through our council contracts.
  • Understand who the children and young people are in your ward.
  • Be Visible
  • Support at events

Ensure a range of opportunities in council and wider:

These include….

  • Apprenticeships
  • Work experience
  • Employment opportunities
  • Volunteering
  • Financial support, discounts, and benefits (e.g., council tax, free travel pass, gym memberships)
  • Use of buildings for venues
  • Social value with businesses in your ward

Our City Pledge

  1. Your Voice and Participation
  2. Your Learning and your future
  3. Your relationships and you
  4. Your Care
  5. Your housing and independence
  6. Your Health and Wellbeing

To get involved in Corporate Parenting activity or for further information, please contact CorporateParenting@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk

Support and promote our charity – Bfriends

Bfriends is a registered charity with a board of trustees and is co-chaired by a young adult with care experience who is employed by Birmingham Children’s Trust.

Priorities for the next 12 months are as follows:

  • Creating destinations (life opportunities across employment and wellbeing)
  • Providing support (advice, mentoring and guidance, community engagement, participation and opportunities)
  • Achieving independence (transition into independent living and other areas of transitioning from a child in care to a care leaver)

For information, contact Bfriends on: bfriends@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk