Issue - meetings

To receive a report from 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’s Adoption Service, alongside a consideration of the effectiveness of Adoption West.

The Deputy Leader was pleased to report that demand for adoptive homes is being met as there are fewer children waiting than the number of families approved. She explained that there were 64 approved adopters waiting for a match and highlighted the three key scorecard measures each local authority Adoption Agency used as detailed in the report. The Cabinet noted that there were some children outside of the targets, and these have been reviewed to ensure the reasons for delays are reasonable and to determine whether there are practice improvements required to increase timeliness.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, Chairman of Children’s Select Committee, reported that the Children’s Select Committee had considered the year-end report on 21 September 2023. He commented on the potential for delays and explained that ultimately the courts controlled the process. He also referred to early permanence, the benefits of a successful outcome and the impact and support needed for adoptive parents when outcomes were not successful.  He asked for future Year-End reports to include information on Guardian Orders.

Resolved:

To approve the report and that the contents of it are considered against the Corporate Parenting Strategic Priorities for children in care to have a loving home, good relationships, and be respected. 

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. A report to Cabinet is prepared annually.

Adoption West is subject to separate scrutiny arrangements through its own Scrutiny Board.