Issue - meetings

Report CS17093

The Executive considered a recommendation that Bromley should work collaboratively with other London boroughs to continue to develop the London Regional Adoption Agency with the intention of joining the agency when it becomes operational. The report set out the initial scope of the project and identified the advantages and the risks involved. The proposal would ensure value for money and reduce the current expenditure on high cost, at a distance, residential emergency placements. The Leader commented that it was important that this opportunity was taken to drive out duplication and become more efficient. Around eighteen or nineteen boroughs were already signed up, although LB Bexley had decided to join with Kent County Council. Officers confirmed that they anticipated that joining the London Agency would offer a wider range of appropriate placements for Bromley children.

The report had been scrutinised by the Care Services PDS Committee on 10^th January 2017; the Committee had supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED that

(1) It is agreed in principle to join a London Regional Adoption Agency, subject to the business case and detailed financial analysis.

(2) The Interim Director of Children’s Social Care, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Care Services, be authorised to progress arrangements relating to the development of a business case for the agency model.

Report CS17093

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report setting out the initial scope of works and seeking approval for Bromley to work collaboratively with other London boroughs to develop the London Regional Adoption Agency with the intention of joining the agency when it was operational.

Following the publication of its paper on regionalising adoption in June 2015, the Department for Education invited local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies to submit Expressions of Interest in becoming part of the new regionalised arrangements.  The Association of London Directors of Children’s Services submitted a proposition for London which was approved for development in the ‘scope and design' phase during which a number of possible models had been explored and the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services recommended the creation of a new local authority-owned entity operating in a hub-and-spoke approach that retained strong local links.  The Regionalisation Steering Group subsequently carried out scoring on four possible models and had recommended that Options 2 and 3, which proposed that the Regional Adoption Agency either be formed by the creation of a Local Trading Company or by local authorities and voluntary agencies combining and taking co-ownership of an existing brand be investigated further.

In considering the report a Member was concerned that work towards regionalising adoption might impact the ongoing delivery of the programme of improvements across Children’s Services, although the benefits of contributing towards the development of the London Regional Adoption Agency model were noted.  The Chairman underlined that the aim of regionalisation of adoption was to increase the rates of adoption and that achieving permanency for children looked after was of key importance.

RESOLVED that the Council’s Executive be recommended to:

1)  Agree in principle to join a London Regional Adoption Agency, subject to detailed financial analysis and business case; and,

2)  Authorise the Interim Director of Children’s Social Care, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Care Services, to progress arrangements relating to the development of a business case for the Agency model.