The Corporate Parenting Panel of Harrow Council met on Monday 30 June 2025 to discuss updates on children missing from care, children and care leavers in custody, and the progress of the Leaving Care Service. Key decisions included noting the reduction in children missing from care and the ongoing work to improve support for care leavers.

Children Missing from Care

The panel received an update on children missing from care, noting a reduction in such incidents compared to the previous year. In the last quarter of 2024-2025, 11% of children looked after had at least one missing episode, a decrease from the previous year and lower than statistical neighbours. The report detailed the robust processes in place to manage missing children, including immediate notification to the police, strategy meetings within three days, and the use of disruption techniques. Return home interviews are offered to all young people upon their return, with an 88% acceptance rate, which is considered high. The panel discussed the various risk factors identified for children going missing, such as exploitation, gang involvement, and mental health concerns. Councillor Aneka Shah-Levy raised concerns about the clarity of data regarding the 12% of missing children not offered return interviews, and the panel agreed to review data capture methods. Councillor Chetna Halai inquired about the timeline for strategy meetings in cases of serious concern, and it was clarified that immediate action would be taken in such instances, rather than waiting the standard three days. Councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman highlighted the need to understand the patterns of risk factors to better prioritise interventions.

Children Looked After and Care Leavers in Custody

The panel was informed that there were currently nine care leavers in custody, with one under 18 in a youth offending institution. Two young people had been recalled due to not adhering to bail conditions. Deborah Harewood, Service Manager for Leaving Care, explained that all young people in custody receive regular visits from their personal advisors or social workers, which is crucial as these may be their only visits. A weekly allowance of £10 is provided for personal items to avoid potential extortion. The service is working to ensure that young people have identified accommodation upon release to prevent extended stays in custody. Councillor Hitesh Karia, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, highlighted the importance of understanding the young people's preferences for virtual versus in-person visits. Councillor Chetna Halai asked about the types of offences leading to custody, and it was noted that these ranged from substance misuse to violent crime, including drug dealing and county lines. The panel was reassured that efforts are being made to provide consistent support and to prevent re-offending.

Leaving Care Service

Fize Ahmed, newly appointed to Harrow Council, presented an update on the significant transformation of the Leaving Care Service, launched on 31 March 2025. The service aims to be accessible, welcoming, and responsive, with a focus on creating clear pathways for young people transitioning to adulthood. Key developments include a recruitment drive to reduce personal advisor caseloads to a manageable 18-20, the appointment of a permanent service manager and three experienced team managers, and a comprehensive training program for staff. A new care leaver app is being developed for launch in October, and the local offer for care leavers is being revamped in consultation with young people. The service has reviewed council tax exemptions and drafted guidance for the transition at age 18 for former relevant care leavers. Councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman welcomed the progress but requested statistics on training rollout and feedback, as well as data on pathway plan progress and care leaver input. He also emphasised the importance of quality assurance and requested more detail on the data being brought to the panel. Parmjit Chahal, Strategic Director of Children's Services, provided further detail on the extensive work undertaken to review and contact care leavers, particularly those over 21, following the Ofsted inspection. The panel was assured that efforts were being made to build trust and improve outcomes, with a commitment to ongoing scrutiny and improvement.

Information Report: Activity and Performance

Dipika Patel, Partner – Business Intelligence Unit, presented an overview of activity and provisional performance data for children looked after and care leavers. Key performance indicators showed that Harrow's rate of children looked after per 10,000 children remained below national and statistical neighbour averages. The age profile of looked after children had shifted slightly, with an increase in the 1-9 age group. While Harrow is a diverse borough, making direct ethnic comparisons challenging, the data indicated an under-representation of White and Asian children looked after and an over-representation of Mixed, Black, and Other ethnic groups compared to the general Harrow population. The report highlighted strengths in care leaver engagement, suitable accommodation, and education, employment, and training (EET) rates, exceeding statistical neighbour averages. However, areas for improvement included the timeliness of looked after children's reviews, long-term placement stability, and attendance and persistent absence from education. Councillor Aneka Shah-Levy specifically requested information on how the council plans to improve the timeliness of CLA reviews and suggested adding a column to performance reports detailing actions being taken to address red-rated indicators. The panel agreed to explore a more interactive approach to data review, allowing panel members to focus on specific areas of concern.

Virtual School Summer Term Report

Melina Williamson-Taylor, Virtual School Headteacher, presented the Virtual School's Summer Term Report. The report highlighted consistent performance for children looked after (CLA) at the end of Key Stage 4, with Harrow CLA achieving above the national average for good GCSEs in English and Maths. Attainment 8 scores were also above the national average, although Progress 8 scores had seen a slight dip. The report noted that 84% of CLA in Key Stage 5 participated in education, employment, or training (EET), which is higher than the national average. The Virtual School's Specialist Psychology Service provided 58 individual therapy sessions for children and young people, 45 sessions for carers, and 40 consultations for professionals. An example was shared of a special guardianship carer who received six sessions of support, leading to improved well-being and better support for the child. The report also detailed work on school attendance, noting that overall absence was below the national average, but persistent absence remained a concern. A new initiative, the Attachment Research Community (ARC), involving seven Harrow schools, aims to improve schools' understanding of attachment and trauma to reduce suspensions and exclusions. Councillor Hitesh Karia commended the Virtual School's work and the impact of the wraparound support provided by the psychology service.