Agenda item

To consider a report by the Director of Children’s and Families which provides a summary from the Head of Service on the developments of the service since the last report to the committee in August 2019.

(Report attached)

The Director of Children’s Services from Calderdale submitted a report and provided a summary of the developments within One Adoption West Yorkshire since the last report to the Joint Committee in August 2019.

Referring to the Recruitment of adopters, Members were informed that at a national level the Department of Education had provided funding of £645k in September 2019 for adoption agencies to recruit adopters. It was reported that a national cross sector steering group had been established and One Adoption West Yorkshire (OAWY) had agreed to hold the funds on behalf for the steering group. Members noted the steering group had appointed a creative agency to develop a national campaign to take place between March and June this year. This is alongside a working group of stakeholders from Black and minority ethnic communities working with sector to help improve the recruitment adopters from faith and ethnic minority communities.

The Head of Service (OAWY) informed Members that she was a member on the steering group and that Leeds were supporting the commissioning processes involved in this work.

Members were informed that within OAWY Information events were taking place every three weeks across the region and these continued to be well attended. A new video had been developed for use within the session and this would be circulated to Members of the Joint Committee for information.

It was reported that work had commenced with an organisation called

“My foster family”, a Muslim based faith group who had worked with fostering services and were moving to work with adoption agencies. OAWY were working in partnership with the group to increase the awareness of adoption within the Black and Minority ethnic communities across the region and the first event was held in Leeds in November, seven families attended and interest was being followed up. The Head of Service OAWY said this was something that we were looking to replicate across the region to increase the diversity within our approved adopters to meet the needs of children.

Members were informed that work was ongoing across the region on adoption allowances (financial support for adopters and special guardians). It was suggested that this was a complex piece of work involving key stakeholders across the region, the department of works and pensions, Grandparents Plus, Family Rights Group and carers themselves. It was understood that this issue would be discussed further at a future meeting of the OAWY Management Board.

Reference was made to the development of a new funding formula for implementation within the agency in 2021/22. Members queried what the implications were for the various LA partners and were all of the Section 151 Officers aware.

Members were informed that all Section 151 Officers were aware, in terms of financial implications for the various LA partners, it was suggested that some authorities would gain whilst others would need to find additional funding. The Head of Service OAWY said discussions between the partners was still ongoing and officers were working to deliver a fair funding formula which would include statistics on outcomes.

The Chair thanked officers for the update on progress

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the progress of the agency

(ii)  To support the continued progression of these arrangements

(iii)  That the new video, People sharing their experience of adoption, be circulated to all Members of the Joint Committee for information