The Corporate Parenting Panel met to discuss the Durham Family Strategy, updates from Ofsted, and annual surveys from children in care and care leavers. The panel approved the new Durham Family Strategy 2025-2029 and agreed to change the name of the Corporate Parenting Panel to the Durham Family Panel. They also agreed to a Care Leavers Council representative and a housing representative taking co-opted positions on the panel.

Durham Family Strategy

The panel approved the new Durham Family Strategy 2025-2029, which aims to improve outcomes for children in care and care leavers. The strategy rebrands the council's role as a 'corporate parent' to the 'Durham Family', a term that children and young people have said they prefer. The strategy identifies six key priorities:

• Feeling safe
• Emotional and physical well-being
• Positive people in your life
• Being listened to
• Understanding things better
• To be the best I can be

The strategy also sets out 13 outcomes, actions, a delivery plan, and measures of success. The Corporate Parenting Panel will receive quarterly performance measures and six-monthly updates to monitor the strategy's progress.

The panel agreed to recommend to Cabinet and Council that the Corporate Parenting Panel's name be changed to the Durham Family Panel, and requested that the Director of Legal and Democratic Services make the necessary amendment to the Council's Constitution.

Corporate Parenting Panel Terms of Reference

The panel reviewed its Terms of Reference (TOR) to ensure they remain fit for purpose. The panel agreed to:

• Change the name of the Corporate Parenting Panel to The Durham Family Panel
• A Care Leavers Council representative taking a co-opted position on the Panel
• A Housing representative taking a co-opted position on the Panel

The TOR will be reviewed annually.

Children in Our Care Annual Survey

The panel received the Annual Survey of Children in Our Care, which gathered feedback on their experiences and identified areas for service improvement. The survey found that children and young people generally view the service as good, with an average score of 4.2 out of 5. They also feel valued, with an average score of 4.4 when asked if the service sees them as important.

Key findings from the survey included:

• Most respondents reported positive relationships with those important to them (88%) and felt they had someone to talk to about their worries (92%).
• Children and young people value trust in their social workers, which stems from social workers keeping their promises.
• Most children and young people reported being involved in decision-making.
• A majority of children and young people said that they found it easy contacting their social worker.

The survey also highlighted an area for improvement: 52% of respondents said they had three or more unplanned changes of their social worker in the past three years. The service has been actively recruiting permanent social workers and reorganising teams to address this issue.

Annual Care Leavers Survey

The panel received the Annual Care Leavers Survey, which gathered feedback from care leavers on their experiences and identified areas for service improvement. The survey found that 93% of respondents were happy with the service they received.

Key findings from the survey included:

• Most respondents had the opportunity to meet with their Young Person's Advisor (YPA) before the age of 18 (77%) and found it easy to contact their YPA (86%).
• A majority of respondents felt they had been involved in their plan and listened to by their YPA (95%) and that YPAs did what they said they were going to do (89%).
• Most respondents said they enjoyed a positive relationship with their YPA (92%).

The survey also highlighted the need to improve communication about the local offer¹ to care leavers.

Performance Update

The panel received a performance update on children in care and care leavers. Key data points included:

• As of the end of June 2025, there were 1,206 children in care in County Durham, a rate of 121 per 10,000 children.
• The proportion of children in care who are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is 4%.
• The proportion of children in care who are placed over 20 miles from their home is 13%.
• The proportion of care leavers aged 17-18 in suitable accommodation is 89%, while for those aged 19-21 it is 93%.
• The proportion of care leavers aged 17-18 in education, employment, or training is 57%, while for those aged 19-21 it is 47%.

Update from the Children in Care Council

Representatives from the Children in Care Council (CiCC) provided an update on their work, including their input into social work training and their efforts to raise awareness of foster care. The CiCC representatives highlighted the importance of real-life skills and emotional support for young people transitioning out of care. They also shared an idea for an uncomfortable questions session, where social workers and practitioners could discuss the best ways to approach sensitive topics.

Adopt Coast to Coast Annual Report

The panel received a presentation on the Adopt Coast to Coast Annual Report 2024-2025 from Paula Gibbons, Head of the Regional Adoption Agency². The report noted that the cost of living crisis continued to have a detrimental effect on incoming enquiries. Courtny, who had previously raised questions about keeping in touch arrangements, had helped to review and develop practice, and her suggestions for improvements to the wording of letters used for letterbox contact were adopted regionally. She is now working with Luke Joseph to produce an animation on the subject of keeping in touch.

Annual Adoption Service Report

The panel received the Annual Adoption Service Report 2024/25 from Sarah Coleman and Barbara Arbon, Adoption Team Managers. The report noted that 61 children were matched with adoptive families, an increase on the previous year. The report also highlighted the challenges of recruiting early permanence carers³.

Care Leavers' Service Update

The panel received an update on the Care Leavers' Service from Paula Jemson, Strategic Manager for Children in Care, Stephanie West, Mental and Emotional Wellbeing Worker, and Amy McElderry, Young Person's Advisor. The update highlighted that 81% of young people are in suitable accommodation, but 49% are not in education, employment, or training. The panel also heard about the Staying Close programme and the Peer Mentoring initiative.

Councillor Pears asked about assistance for care leavers with medical appointments, and Karen Watson, Designated Nurse for Safeguarding Children and Children in Care, informed the Panel that the Integrated Care Board⁴ (ICB) also has a transition process in place which includes dental and GP pathways.

Regulation 44 Visits

The panel received a presentation on Regulation 44 visits of Durham County Council's Children's Homes during January to May 2025 from Rob Hamer, Project Lead, Edge of Care. This item was discussed in private due to the confidential nature of the information.