Issue - meetings

To receive a report from Anne Stoker, Assistant Director Children’s Social Care

Anne Stoker (AD Children’s Social Care) introduced a report on the London Regionalisation Adoption Agency Business Case which updated the Committee on the progress in developing a London Regional Adoption Agency (LRAA). 

The following was highlighted:

• It is a requirement that all local authorities join a regional agency by 2020. As part of this the LRAA has been developed to meet the needs of London Boroughs. 
• The London model consists of a central hub and four spokes.  Enfield is to join along with our colleagues from Camden, Islington, Barnet Hackney and Haringey as part of the North London RAA..   Project managers are to be appointed for each spoke and the local North London project manager has been appointed starting March 2018.
• Progress has been slow up to now but it is anticipated that with the appointment of the project managers this will improve. The six Assistant Directors from each Authority are meeting regularly, and there is now momentum in going forward.
•  A business case is expected to be ready, to be shared and agreed locally with Members by the end of 2018. Anne will bring a brief update to OSC on this matter in September.

The following issues were raised:

• Anne confirmed that work has been done on the business case. A number of workshops have been held to discuss how things will work in future. They were looking to bring in a specialist legal manager and, issues for them to also consider include HR, and IT matters. She confirmed that there was still a lot to be done.

• It was noted that Islington were the host authority for the spoke for North RAA.
• Members asked if we had looked at other options instead of the North London arrangement, for example with Hertfordshire and whether other ‘spokes’ are further forward than ours.  Anne answered that we already know our partners and how they work and this will be helpful for the future. Other spokes are at the same stage as us.
• Councillor Smith said it would appear that there had been a lack of urgency and asked if the model is credible and whether it would improve the current arrangements for adoption?  Anne said she was happy if the existing model had remained.  Now that there is a new project manager in place she is pleased that we are moving forward. The aim of the proposals are to speed up the adoption process.  She mentioned that other procedures were now being used such as special guardianship orders.
• Councillor Levy said members were all in agreement that what was wanted from the proposals was better outcomes for all

NOTED

Anne Stoker was thanked for the report. It was noted that a full business case would be tabled later in the year.