Issue - meetings

This paper seeks to update the Children and Young People Panel on the progress in developing a Regional Adoption Agency in accordance with government requirements.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked has any progress taken place in setting up a Local Authority trading company for a Regional Adoption Agency and if so, what progress has been made in B&NES.

The Divisional Director for Safeguarding & Social Care replied that Adoption West will be a trading company from April 2018.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what the future resource implications for Adoption West are.

The Divisional Director for Safeguarding & Social Care replied that there would be no additional resource implications for the Council and that possible efficiencies may be achieved.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked would any redundancies occur when this new model is in place.

The Divisional Director for Safeguarding & Social Care replied that none were planned.

Councillor Lisa Brett asked when B&NES Adoption Services were last reviewed, and will Adoption West also be subjected to an independent review of their adoption service every three years.

The Divisional Director for Safeguarding & Social Care replied that a positive review of the service took place in November 2013 and that Adoption West would be reviewed on their service every three years.

The development of Regional Adoption Agency proposals is part of the national regionalising adoption agenda as set out in ‘Regionalising Adoption’ (July 2015), and further developed in ‘Adoption; A Vision for Change’ (March 2016). Proposals are also informed by the Education and Adoption Act 2016. 

This proposal involves formal collaboration with a number of local authorities to establish a Regional Adoption Agency in line with Government requirements.  The local authorities involved are:

Bath and North East Somerset Council

City of Bristol Council

Gloucestershire County Council

North Somerset Council

South Gloucestershire Council

Wiltshire Council

Councillor Charles Gerrish informed the meeting that this report may be discussed in exempt session, and the public may be asked to leave the room during duration for this item only if the Cabinet debate is likely to disclose information contained within confidential section of the report.

Councillor Michael Evans said that improvement of adoption services was a priority of central Government and part of the manifesto from the current administration. This proposal would involve formal collaboration with six local authorities to establish a Regional Adoption Agency in line with Government requirements.  This proposal would meet the requirements placed upon the Council to develop a new form of service to deliver our statutory adoption functions.  The preferred model would secure best outcomes for children, prospective adoptive families and it would enable the Council to ensure that its excellent record and reputation in relation to adoption is secured into the future.

Councillor Michael Evans moved the recommendations.

Councillor Liz Richardson seconded the motion by saying that adoption was one of the best forms of permanent care for children who cannot remain with their birth family.  Nationally, the Government have placed a priority on improving local authority adoption performance with a view to securing more adoptions and speeding up the process.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet:

1.  Agreed the outlined proposal for the development of a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) in the form of a Local Authority Controlled Company.

2.  Agreed public and stakeholder engagement and consultation to secure this development.

3.  Agreed to receive a further report on a final proposal in Autumn 2016.