This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council on behalf of Slough Children First for the attention of all schools.
On Thursday 11 September, Slough Borough Council and Slough Children First officially launched its 2024-27 Corporate Parenting Strategy at Wexham Secondary School. In Slough, our vision is for all our children and young people to be: Happy, Safe & Loved, Thriving.
The evening was hosted by a group of our young people and was filled with fun, music, ambition and talent, all while being underpinned by our six key priorities (developed alongside children, young people, carers and partners). These priorities are:
- Supporting engagement and achievement in education, training, and employment
- Ensuring that our children looked after, and care experienced young people have stable homes
- Listening and responding to the voice of our children, young people and care experienced young people. They will help to develop and shape our strategic plans and delivery of services
- Ensuring that our children, young people, and care experienced young people are healthy. We will help our children and care experienced young people to have access to help for their physical needs and emotional wellbeing.
- Developing a highly effective care leavers’ partnership to provide ongoing help in a variety of ways for them
- Supporting children, young people and care experienced young people to have fun and have new experiences to develop their own interests.
Our young people filled the room with their amazing talents, including art, photography and sporting achievements, while the audience shared their words of wisdom to them and how they would support in delivering the corporate promises.
Sue Butcher, Director of Children’s Services and Chief Executive of Slough Children First said: “The term ‘Corporate Parenting’ and being a ‘Corporate Parent’ is a collective and a partnership responsibility, not just for Slough Borough Council and Slough Children First members and employees. It is also for our partners including police, education and health services, to provide the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are in our care or have left our care. This is why you are ALL here, each and everyone of you has a valuable role and contribution to make.”
Will Tuckley, Chief Executive at Slough Borough Council asked the audience to think about whether we are being ambitious enough for Slough’s children as corporate parents.
Nick Barwick, Director at Insight Wellbeing and a care experienced person reminded us that “every child is one successful adult away from being a success”.
Also speaking on the night, Rick Flo, Motion Designer and Rap Artist spoke powerfully about turning trauma into triumph and the importance of someone seeing a child and their dreams.
Through collaboration and partnership, we will achieve our vision (for every child to be Happy, Safe & Loved, Thriving), values and promises (all outlined in the Corporate Parenting Strategy) by focusing on the six key priorities. Our Corporate Parenting Strategy sets out our commitments as corporate parents, to our children and young people who are looked after and those who are care experienced.
Thank you to everyone who came along and supported in so many ways, including our keynote speakers who were both inspiring and motivating.
To view the full strategy, please visit: https://www.sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Slough-Corporate-Parenting-Strategy-2024-27.pdf