Issue - meetings

         Report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director.

 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.