Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

Further to minute 5/18 the Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which provided an update on the changes to the Adoption Service in Coventry.  Appended to the briefing note were the following documents:

·  Appendix 1 – Annual Report of the Adoption Service 2018-2019

·  Appendix 2 – Adoption Central England (ACE) Annual Report 2018-2019

·  Appendix 3 – ACE Adoption Panel Chair’s Annual Report

The establishing of a Regional Adoption Agency was previously considered on 21^st June, 2018 and the Board requested that this item be further considered following an operating period to identify outcomes from the new arrangements. The Annual Adoption Report documented the adoption activity in Children’s Services for the year 2018/19.  This included a report of the activity of the Regional Adoption Agency of which Coventry City Council was now a part of.  The Adoption Regulations required the executive to scrutinise the work of the adoption service each year.

Coventry became part of a Regional Adoption Agency on 1^st February 2018.  The Agency was a shared services arrangement in partnership with four other local authorities.  Currently the hosts of the Regional Adoption Agency were Warwickshire County Council.  An Annual Adoption Report was required by regulation and had been written jointly between staff from Coventry City Council Children’s Services and the Regional Adoption Agency.  It documented the progress of adoption in the city for the year 2018/19.

The Board welcomed Melissa Rose representing ACE at the meeting.

The Board questioned the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, officers and ACE on the following:

·  Key areas of progress and challenges

·  Decisions at court

·  Placing children outside Coventry

·  Qualifications and practices including Therapeutic Parenting

·  Workforce

·  Consistency for children

·  Performance

·  Social Worker Case Loads

·  Responsibility and accountability

·  Equality, diversity and inclusiveness of the Panel and Adopters

·  Financial implications

·  Relationships with regional partners and potential increased membership

·  Exit interviews

·  Support for Birth parents through partnership working and charities such as Pause

The Cabinet Member noted the positive progress that had been made over the first 18 months and the importance of the role of Corporate Parents.  Officers also referred to a strong start at working together as a region noting the benefits of increased choice for suitable matches, less bureaucracy and the innovative recruitment of ACE.  An area of improvement that officers felt was particularly important was improvements in placing complex adoptions.

ACE were also pleased with partners working together and discussed the importance of training and how it supported adopters to understand behaviours.

Further information was requested including:

•  A glossary of acronyms

•  An enquiry to Warwickshire regarding their policy on zero hours contracts

•  ACE to further report on their work with support to birth parents following adoption

•  The next annual report to contain information about the equality, diversity  and inclusiveness of the Panel members and adopters

RESOLVED that

1)  the Scrutiny Board note the briefing note and thank all those who support adoption in Coventry

2)  request that the Chair give further consideration to how Scrutiny could review partnership working opportunities to support birth mothers following the adoption of their children