Page 54 - Getting it Right for Vulnerable Children and Young People in North Ayrshire

Children and young people who are ‘looked after’ or ‘looked after and accommodated’ by a local authority. Definition Under the provisions of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, “Looked After” children are defined as those in the care of their local authority. The majority will either be living at home, being subject to compulsory supervision, or living out of their home and looked after by a Local Authority or Kinship Carer. Brief Overview Children and young people come into care for a variety of reasons. Most of them are there for care and protection reasons, resulting from parental neglect, abuse, or because they have complex disabilities. 20% become looked after as a result of offending behaviour, and most of those have had previous referrals to the Children’s Hearing System on care and protection grounds. The term Looked After includes children subject to compulsory supervision via a Children’s Hearing, but living at home with their birth parent(s) or with other family members, as well as children looked after away from home who live with foster or kinship carers, in residential care homes, residential schools or secure units. They may be looked after away from home because a carer or parent has given permission for this to take place, or, the Local Authority believes it is in the best interests of the child or young person and has sought legal measures to look after them. Guidance and Legislation Due to the fact that a child/young person is looked after, the local authority and other partners have a ‘Corporate Parenting’ responsibility towards them. In the Scottish Government document ‘These are our Bairns, a guide for community planning partnerships on being a good corporate parent’ it says that, ‘Good parents make sure their children are well looked after, making progress at school, healthy, have clear boundaries for their own and others’ safety and wellbeing and are enjoying activities and interests. As they grow older, they encourage them to become independent, and support them if they need it, to become part of the local community and access further or higher education, 27 training or work.’ In North Ayrshire we have taken this role seriously and in late 2009 North Ayrshire Council developed a Corporate Parenting Strategy and a linked Looked After Children Evaluation and Strategy Framework which was launched in February 2010. As part of that Framework there was an Action Plan to be implemented and this continues to be monitored and updated resulting in a new Framework covering 2013-15 with Annual Reports each year on progress made. 27 These are our Bairns - a guide for community planning partnerships on being a good corporate parent (2008) Scottish Government Getting It Right For Vulnerable Children and Young People in North Ayrshire DRAFT V1.1 March 2014 Page No:54