Issue - meetings

Report CS16032

Approval was sought to draw-down the remaining tranche of adoption reform grant funding from central contingency, Report CS16032 providing an update on activity associated with Special Guardianship Orders and proposals for establishing regional adoption agencies.

The remaining adoption reform grant was proposed to fund the majority of costs of additional activity for special guardianship assessments and support as well as additional adoption medicals delivered through a contract with Bromley Healthcare.

RESOLVED that draw-down of the final tranche of the non-ring fenced adoption reform grant of £132,323 for 2016/2017 be approved.

Report CS16032

The Portfolio Holder presented a report outlining ongoing activity funded since 2012/13 from the non-ring fenced element of a grant from the Department for Education to support and promote adoption and permanence performance and reform, and seeking the approval of the Council’s Executive for the drawdown of the remaining grant held in the central contingency to contribute towards the ongoing work for 2016/17.

In 2012/13 and 2013/14, the Local Authority was awarded grants totalling £1,019,746 by the Department for Education to secure a key Government policy objective to improve adoption performance, and in particular to ensure that children achieved permanence at the earliest opportunity.  £149,840 of the initial grant award was ring-fenced to specific activity and was required to be spent during the 2012/13 financial year.  The non-ring fenced grant had been used to support a range of adoption and permanence activity since 2011/12 which had contributed to an increase in the number of children adopted, although this had now levelled off following a key Court of Appeal Judgement which had resulted in a significant increase in Special Guardianship Orders where previously a Placement Order might have been made.  It was requested to drawdown the final tranche of the non-ring fenced Adoption Reform Grant of £132,323 for 2016/17. 

In considering the report, the Chairman congratulated Officers for the significant improvement in placing children for adoption in Bromley in recent years.

RESOLVED that the Council’s Executive be recommended to approve the drawdown of the final tranche of the non-ring fenced Adoption Reform Grant of £132,323 for 2016/17.