Suffolk County Council: from corporate parenting to community parenting
A family business looks after its own. Suffolk wanted its care leavers to experience the council that way, with real jobs, real employers and someone in their corner.
The starting point
Care leavers in Suffolk had a corporate parent in the council, but not many of the things a parent gives you: a first job, a contact who knows someone, a place to learn how work works. The council wanted to change that from the inside, starting with its own jobs.
What we heard
A two-day stakeholder review across seven groups, from care leavers to managers and HR, showed goodwill everywhere and routes into work almost nowhere. Services wanted to help, and needed a way to make an apprenticeship work for a young person without family behind them.
What we did
- Late 2022Stakeholder reviewAcross seven groups, from care leavers to HR
- 2023A six-phase programmeCore document, brand guidelines, comms strategy, induction and supervisor training, a project board and weekly coaching
- 2023Employers in the roomAn Innovation Board of local business owners, an employer information event and the Community Hub launch
- September 2023Placements liveIn Waste, Fire and Rescue, and Home First
- October 2023First Skills Academy intake
- 2023 to 2024Keeping it goingCoaching, apprentice onboarding and sustainability planning
- 2024The filmsA documentary, “Turning Corporate Parenting into Community Parenting”, and four case-study films for Leaving Care Week
How we worked
Story
Care leavers told their own stories in the films. The post-18 team, personal advisers and social workers shaped the brand in two workshops.
Theory
What the evidence says young people need to stay in work, built into supervisor training.
Tools
An induction pack, supervisor training and a managers’ approach services could run themselves.
What changed
From corporate parent to community parent.
The council built routes into work inside its own walls first, then opened the door to local employers.
The employer launch in September 2023 drew over 60 people, and the council’s own report recorded “an overwhelming number of opportunities” for young people. Five ring-fenced apprenticeships were agreed, the NHS offered a six-week course for 30 care-experienced people, and the Skills Academy, run in partnership with a local alternative provision, took its first intake in October 2023. Up to 40 young people gained qualifications through it. By the time of the CYP Now award evidence, six care leavers had council apprenticeships and four had completed or were on track.
“6 young care leavers with an apprenticeship within our own organisation, 4 of which have either successfully completed or are on track.”
Watch the films
The Family Business: information for employersPlaying this video loads it from YouTube, which may set cookies. Our privacy notice
The Family Business: information for care leaversPlaying this video loads it from YouTube, which may set cookies. Our privacy notice
See the work
Open any piece to look through it page by page.
WE ASPIRE
The Family Business was built on Suffolk County Council’s own values. Choose a letter to see what each one means.
Suffolk’s eight values
We look after ourselves, each other and the planet.
Respecting, valuing, embracing and celebrating everyone’s unique differences.
We are the best we can be.
We work as one team.
We are passionate about making a positive difference to the people and place of Suffolk.
We believe in making every penny count, every minute matter and reducing environmental impact.
We give and earn respect.
We empower, encourage and motivate.
Three aims
- Apprenticeships in the council Ring-fenced roles for care leavers across every suitable service area
- Work-based opportunities Cross-sector placements with local businesses that give young people real experience of work
- Pre-apprenticeship programme Help to get ready for an apprenticeship or a job, built once the first two were running
Six phases
- Foundation Core documents and the brand
- Structure Scoping roles, apprentice induction, planning the launch
- Engage Supervisor training and a supervisors’ support network
- Launch A launch event with internal and external advertising
- Marketing Calling care leavers to apply
- Sustain Light-touch support and a peer network with apprentices
A project board with power to act
Senior leaders from across the council, each able to create apprenticeships in their own service, meeting monthly to oversee the programme.
The Chief Executive sponsored The Family Business from the start.
What employers were offered
- Training Free training for managers supporting young people
- Guidance On apprenticeships and the funding available to hire young people
- Community Networking with other businesses across Suffolk
- Exposure Their support celebrated on the council’s channels
The Innovation Board
Local business owners and leaders, asked to lend their expertise and influence to the call to action: less corporate, more parent.
The community launch
“We are The Family Business.”
An information session, lunch, then engagement and questions, open to anyone from sole traders to large employers. Over 60 people came.
What it led to
Beyond the council
- NHS A six-week course offered to 30 care-experienced people
- Skills Academy First intake in October 2023, with a local alternative provision
- Films A documentary and four case-study films for Leaving Care Week