Agenda item

Report CEF22003

The report provided an overview of the activity of Bromley Adoption Service from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2012.

In opening the discussion, the Chairman welcomed the excellent outcomes reflected in the report with 10 children achieving permanency and the service supporting children very well.  The Committee also commended the work of the family finders who did an excellent job in seeking permanency for young people.

In relation to the complaints referenced in the report, the Adoption RAA Service Manager provided an overview explaining that one adopter had not agreed with the decision taken not to allow her to continue with stage one of the process.  A second complaint related to letterbox contact and this could sometimes be a difficult situation to manage.

In response to a series of questions, the Committee noted that the aim of the service was to secure a permanent family for children.  Sometimes it was not possible to exactly match a child’s culture and identity with a new adopted family and this was not an impediment as long as the service was fully satisfied that the placement would meet the needs of the child and the perspective adopters were able to demonstrate that they would actively promote the cultural and identity needs of the child.

Assessments concerning the separation of siblings were a large piece of work involving foster carers, schools and a number of other professionals involved with the child and sibling group.  It was an emotional journey for social workers as sibling relationships were regarded as the most enduring and siblings would not be separated unless absolutely necessary.  There were also levels of scrutiny and quality assurance before any decision to separate siblings was taken.

In relation to the performance indicators, the Committee noted that the trajectory over the last few years showed a consistent improvement in performance.  The pandemic had impacted on performance, although family finding work had continued. The service continued to actively family find for children well before care proceedings were concluded.

The Committee noted that in terms of post adoption support, efforts had been made to unify post adoption support across the Regional Adoption Agency.  Significant efforts were made to ensure that adopters had the necessary support and access to services.  During the pandemic some virtual sessions (such as coffee mornings and workshops) were offered and this year a more robust calendar of virtual coffee mornings was being delivered.  It was envisaged that as restrictions were eased, an element of these virtual sessions would continue to be offered.

Members noted that there would never be enough adopters for the number of children requiring permanency, however, being part of the Regional Adoption Agency had increased the opportunities available.  One of the key aspects was ensuring that the right adopters were available.

In relation to the work that needed to be undertaken in order for the Service to move to outstanding, the Adoption RAA Service Manager reported that it was now about matching children with the right adopters and ensuring minimum disruption for the children.  Another aspect was the post adoption service, ensuring that adopters felt supported.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.