Our role is to make sure our care experienced children and young people are kept safe, and that their experience of being cared for is wholly positive with improved life chances. We do this by:

• staying alert to issues affecting the wellbeing of our children and young people;
• looking after and promoting their interests
• understanding their needs;
• ensuring access to any opportunities as well as services and support that they might need; and
• providing opportunities to take part in activities to promote wellbeing.

Corporate parents are named in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. Local authorities play a key role and, at North Lanarkshire Council, we believe that ensuring effective support, care and protection for children and young people who are looked after by the local authority is one of the most important responsibilities held by elected members, agencies and individual staff involved.

Terminology explained:

Care experienced refers to anyone who is currently in care, or has been for any length of time, regardless of their age.

Looked after children are defined as those in the care of their local authority. It is a legal status in which the local authority has specific duties of care.

Care leaver refers to anyone who ceased to be looked after on, or at any time after, their 16th birthday.

The Scottish Government website provides more information and links to other useful sources for further details.