Issue - meetings
Adoption Agency Six Month Report
Meeting: 17/03/2015 - Cabinet (Item 31)
31 Adoption Agency Six Month Report
Report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director.
Supporting documents:
Minutes:
Councillor Laura Mayes presented a
report which sought to ensure that Cabinet
was satisfied that the Council’s adoption agency was
effective and achieving good outcomes for children, young people
and service users. The report covered the period 1 April 2014 to 31
October 2014 referred to the Adoption Service Improvement
Plan.
It was recognised that the service had improved its performance and risen to the challenges posed by the adoption reform agenda. However, the Council was not complacent and acknowledged that it had to do more to improve the Council’s effectiveness in this area of vital importance.
In the course of the presentation and the discussion, the issues discussed included: that Wiltshire Council had increased the number of parents ready for adoption; the need to proactively recruit parents to meet the needs of the children awaiting adoption, including recruiting more specialist adopters for children who are more challenging to place; and that there were a number of areas where the Council would continue to seek improvements.
Resolved
1. That the contents of this report are noted and accepted; and
2. That the Cabinet’s thanks be passed on to the Adoption team.
Reasons for Decision:
The 2013 Statutory Adoption Guidance and the 2014 Adoption Minimum
Standards place a requirement on local authority adoption services to ensure
that Wiltshire Council Cabinet is satisfied that the Adoption Agency is effective; achieving good outcomes for children, young people and service users; and complying with the conditions of registration.