An independent review, conducted by the Local Government Association (LGA), has found that children and young people in care in Central Bedfordshire feel safe, listened to, and well-supported. The review focused on the council's role as a corporate parent, responsible for the care and support of these young individuals.
Young people participating in the review spoke positively about their relationships with the professionals supporting them and expressed feeling encouraged to pursue their ambitions. The review highlighted committed staff and leaders, strong partnership working, and the council's valuing of young people's voices.
While the review identified areas where support can be further strengthened, the council's Executive has now approved an improvement plan. This plan aims to ensure greater consistency in support, focusing on building trusting relationships and improving handovers when support staff change. Efforts will also be made to reduce the frequency of changes children experience.
Furthermore, the plan will give children and young people a stronger voice in the services they receive. Their feedback and experiences will be systematically gathered and used to influence decisions about services and support. There will also be an increased focus on opportunities for young people leaving care, including access to employment, apprenticeships, and work experience, to help them build independence.
“"The most important part of this review is what children and young people themselves have told us – that they feel safe, listened to and supported by the people around them. That is what being a good corporate parent should be about. Every child deserves people who believe in them, relationships they can rely on and the opportunity to achieve what they want from life."
Councillor Gareth Mackey, Executive Member for Children and Families, stated that the review provides strong foundations but also a clear challenge to ensure positive experiences are consistent for every child. This includes reducing unnecessary changes in support professionals, actively listening to and acting on young people's feedback, and creating more opportunities for care-experienced young people as they transition into adulthood. The council aims for children in its care to know that it is ambitious for them and will support their future.
The improvement plan also reinforces corporate parenting responsibilities across the organisation. All councillors will be invited to undertake training, and the responsibility will be integrated into the induction of new councillors. Opportunities for councillors to meet and hear directly from children and young people in care will be increased. The LGA review was voluntarily commissioned by the council to independently assess its corporate parenting arrangements and identify areas for improvement.
