529 ADOPTION REGIONALISATION UPDATE PDF 208 KB
To receive a report from Anne Stoker,
Assistant Director Children’s Social Care
Minutes:
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.