Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Executive

Councillor Laura Mayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Education, and Skills, presented the year end report regarding the performance of the Wiltshire Council Adoption Service, alongside a consideration of the effectiveness of Adoption West, the regional adoption agency owned and commissioned by six partner local authorities, which was now in its third year of operation. The report had been considered by a Task Group of the Children’s Select Committee.

It was explained that Adoption West was inspected in January 2022 with an overall inspection judgment of good, with a realistic view from managers and the board on issues and comprehensive support and scrutiny.

Details from the report were highlighted such as the average time between a child entering care and moving in with their adopted family decreasing, the average time from the councils receiving court authority to place a child and the authority deciding upon a match also decreasing. The average time from entering care to receiving a placement order had increased. Councillor Mayes provided a case study of two children, to demonstrate how each story was different and how wider family circumstances could make targets more complex.

Councillor Ian Thorn offered his thanks to Councillor Mayes for the update, and to all the families adopting and all those involved in the process.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was then,

Resolved:

That Cabinet note the report and its contents as considered against the Corporate Parenting Strategic Priority.

Reason for Decision

Wiltshire Council is an Adoption Agency registered with Ofsted. The 2014
Adoption Minimum Standards (25.6) and 2013 Statutory Guidance (3.93 and
5.39) describe the information that is required to be reported to the executive
side of the local authority, on a six-monthly basis, to provide assurance that the
adoption agency is complying with the conditions of registration whilst being
effective and achieving good outcomes for children.