Children in the care of local authorities are one of the most vulnerable groups in society. Government, has made it very clear that improving the lives of these children is a national priority because, in spite of considerable attention over recent years, there continues to be a gap between their outcomes and those of their peers. Local councils have a collective responsibility to achieve good parenting for all children in their care. Ofsted's 2011 inspection programme of safeguarding and looked after children's services, highlighted weak leadership and strategic planning were often associated with a poor service to children. In response, NCB worked with several local authorities to develop a model of effective corporate parenting.Each local authority approaches corporate parenting differently. This handbook focuses on the leadership and commitment that elected members and senior officers can provide, and highlights the universal components that are essential to effective local arrangements.Includes:- definition of the corporate parenting role, including the legal and policy context- a model of effective corporate parenting- top tips for corporate parents- activities to assess knowledge and evaluate services- a range of practice examples and topic briefings.

Senior council members will be empowered to prioritise the needs of looked after children and seek the same outcomes for them as any good parent would want for their own children.