Our pledge to you

Sometimes a child or young person is unable to live with their parents. There are many reasons this happens. Some children and young people may have been abused or neglected, others may have complex needs or disabilities, or there may be a family crisis which means that the child or young person's parents are unable to care for them. 

Our 'Let's Take Action Group' which represents the voice of children in our care, developed the 'perfect corporate parent' framework, which was used to co-design our corporate parenting pledge: 

Perfect Corporate Parent

The Perfect Corporate Parent was developed by members of the 'Let's Take Action' Group, representing children in our care. They felt that a corporate parent should be there for them in a time of need, care for them and love them. 

Attributes of a perfect corporate parent were listed as:

• respectful
• loving and caring
• listening
• entertainment
• see things for our point of view
• education encouragement
• supportive
• need to support us
• sustainability
• always be more important so in front of them
• pocket money
• help us find our feet
• never be forgotten
• emotionally prepare us for the future 
• friendship
• promote success
• helping hand
• love
• need to know what we want
• say what you want not what you think we want
• loyal
• help us grow
• advocate from the heart
• express thoughts and feelings

The Corporate Parenting pledge

Our pledge to all children and young people who are cared for or have left our care and Former Relevant care leavers is: 

• private life - "We will make sure that you are treated as an individual, and you will have a care plan to reflect this"
• family contact - "We will help you to maintain important relationships with your family, whenever it is possible and safe to do so"
• choice - "We want to help you to make healthy and safe choices. We will work alongside you to prepare you to move into independent living, when you are ready"
• pocket money and my time - "We will help you to enjoy your life. We will support you to enjoy leisure activities including music, the arts, hobbies, sports, and to join young people's organisations"
• friends - "We will encourage you to make friends, keep in touch with old friends, and build on your relationships"
• being healthy - "We will ensure services are in places to support your emotional wellbeing. You will also get access to advice, to help you lead a healthy lifestyle"
• to be a lifelong champion - "We want to help you make a positive contribution to your community, and to be prepared for a stable and secure adult life"
• education -  "At your school you will have a designated teacher to make sure you get the help you need; we will encourage & support you to study at college or university"
• your future - "We will provide you with a Personal Advisor to support you from the age of 16 through to 25"
• support - "We will do our best to help you break down barriers encountered when dealing with other agencies. We will work together with the services you need including housing benefits and employment"

This pledge was signed by Councillor John Gardner, the Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees and Councillor Robert Cook, the Leader of the Council.