The Cabinet of Hammersmith and Fulham Council met on Monday 15 June 2026, where they approved the publication of the Settled and Belong Strategy 2026-30. This strategy outlines the council's commitment to supporting children and young people in their care.

Settled and Belong Strategy 2026-30

The Cabinet approved the publication of the Settled and Belong Strategy for 2026-30. This strategy aims to ensure that children and young people in the council's care feel safe, settled, and that they belong. The strategy is built around three key themes: keeping families together through strong, timely support; ensuring children who need to come into care have loving and stable homes as close as possible to their communities; and supporting young people as they transition into adulthood with secure housing, supportive relationships, and pathways into education, training, or employment.

The report highlighted that the strategy builds on existing strong foundations, including outstanding children's services and effective family support. However, it also acknowledged challenges such as an ageing foster carer workforce, national placement issues, and increasingly complex needs among young people. The strategy has been shaped by the experiences and priorities of young people with care experience. Councillor Alex Sanderson, Deputy Leader (responsible for Health and Social Care and Children and Education), introduced the strategy, emphasizing its focus on the well-being and future prospects of the borough's children and young people. The decision to approve the publication of the strategy was agreed by the Cabinet.