A fresh Community Parenting Approach has been established to ensure that each child and young individual under the Council’s supervision has equal opportunities for success as their peers.
The Education, Children, and Families Policy Committee of the Council convened at the Town Hall on Monday (26th February) and endorsed the implementation of this approach.
Scheduled to run until 2026, this initiative pledges to:
- Advocate strongly for meeting the needs of every child and young person in our care
- Give priority to resource accessibility
- Guarantee that every child and young person in Sheffield receives a promising start in life and the chance to flourish
- Offer care-experienced children and young individuals the appropriate support, when and where needed
- Ensure that children are the focal point of our organizational methods
- Assess the value and assistance provided to those caring for all the children under our care
Community, or Corporate, Parenting refers to the shared duty within an organization to care for and support children in our custody, including care leavers, to help them achieve their full potential. As ‘corporate parents,’ elected officials and council personnel now bear a legal responsibility for the welfare of care-experienced children, as do our affiliated organizations.
WATCH: Cllr Dawn Dale, Chair of the Education, Children, and Families Policy Committee and Community Parenting Board, expresses approval for the adoption of the approach
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The formulation of this approach involved consultation with the most pertinent individuals – the children and young people directly impacted. This input was gathered through responses to Bright Spots surveys conducted. The Bright Spots initiative, a collaboration between Coram Voice and the University of Oxford, supported by the Hadley Trust, facilitates detailed feedback from all our care-experienced children and care leavers. This marks the first instance where such a strategy has been co-developed with the young individuals in our care.
How will this approach translate into practice? The approval of the strategy empowers us and our partners to embrace fundamental objectives that align with the responsibilities of a ‘good parent’ in supporting our cared-for children and care leavers:
- Facilitating their relationships and sense of belonging
- Promoting their well-being
- Assisting in their education and social skills development
- Ensuring their voices are heard and that they comprehend their background and journey
- Providing stability, fostering resilience, and safeguarding them against bullying and discrimination related to their care status
Cllr Dawn Dale, Chair of the Education, Children, and Families Policy Committee and Community Parenting Board, remarked:
“I am dedicated to transforming Sheffield into a city of hope and ambition, where everyone can partake in its prosperity. At the core of this vision is ensuring that all individuals contribute to supporting Sheffield’s children, making this city the ideal environment for a child to grow up in.
“Last December, Sheffield City Council pledged to treat ‘care experienced’ individuals as if it were a protected characteristic. I take immense pride in Sheffield’s children in care and care leavers, and I am wholeheartedly committed to assisting them in seizing the numerous opportunities our wonderful city presents.
“In all our endeavors, we aim for children and young people who have experienced care to feel cherished, accepted, and secure. I extend my gratitude to our proficient, devoted, and empathetic foster carers and staff for their dedication to our children.”
Meredith Dixon-Teasdale, Strategic Director of Children’s Services (DCS) at Sheffield City Council, commented:
“This Sheffield Community Parenting Approach outlines the city’s priorities for care-experienced children and young people throughout the area.
“Together, we achieve results. Our approach will be implemented with the backing of key partners, voluntary and community organizations, and businesses in the city. It is imperative that we collaborate to ensure that all care-experienced children and young individuals can avail themselves of the city’s opportunities and receive the support and connections necessary to grow up feeling secure, valued, heard, and belonging.”
Kate Josephs, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, added:
“Children and young people are the focal point of our endeavors. I take pride in the fact that the primary focus of the Council plan is to collaborate in building a brighter future for Sheffield.
“Our approach has been collaboratively developed with care-experienced children and young individuals. It builds upon our vision for children and young people as delineated in Sheffield City Goals and the Council Plan, which commits us to being exceptional ‘community parents.’ This approach underscores our dedication to championing Sheffield’s children and young people, ensuring they have every opportunity to lead content and meaningful lives.”