Our responsibilities for looked after children
Caring together - a parenting in partnership strategy 2025 to 2028
Our vision
“Through caring together, we will foster a community where every child in our care feels a true sense of belonging: safe, valued, and empowered to thrive. Supported by a council and partners who act with the love, ambition, and commitment of a good parent.”
Purpose of the strategy
Our caring together, parenting in partnership strategy, outlines the Isle of Wight Council’s unwavering commitment to its role as a corporate parent. Our primary aim is to ensure that all children and young people we care for or have experienced our care, receive the best possible support, opportunities, and outcomes, enabling them to thrive and reach their full potential.
This strategy serves as a guiding document for all council departments, elected members, and partners (statutory and voluntary), ensuring a unified and consistent approach to fulfilling our corporate parenting responsibilities.
Isle of Wight Council’s specific priorities
- Promoting educational attainment and aspiration
- Enhancing health and emotional wellbeing
- Ensuring stable and nurturing homes
- Fostering participation and amplifying young people’s voices
- Preparing for adulthood and independent living
- Opening doors to opportunities through the ‘family business’ approach
Next steps
- Implementation and dissemination – This strategy will be widely disseminated across all council departments, partner agencies, and relevant stakeholders. Clear action plans will be developed for each commitment, outlining specific responsibilities, timelines, and performance indicators.
- Training and awareness – Comprehensive training and discussions will be rolled out for all council staff and elected members to enhance their understanding of corporate parenting responsibilities and foster a culture of shared ownership.
- Monitoring and evaluation – A robust, relevant and aspirational action plan will be established to track progress against the strategic commitments and outcomes; this will be reviewed annually. Regular reports against action and progress will be presented to the parenting in partnership board and relevant council committees.
- Continuous engagement – We will review our participation strategy and will continue to actively engage with children and young people in our care and care experienced adults through a children we care for council, and care experienced VOICE forum, ensuring their voices remain at the heart of our decision-making processes.
- Partnership working – We will further strengthen our relevant partnerships with health services, education providers, housing associations, voluntary organisations, and the wider community to ensure a holistic and coordinated approach to supporting our children and young people as parents in partnership.