Decision details

One Adoption West Yorkshire to enter into an agreement with and accept grant funding of £2m from the Department for Education (DfE)

Reference: D54219

Decision Maker: Director of Children and Families

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

The DfE has made available grant funding to undertake adoption recruitment activity on a national and regional scale, to further support the adoption regionalisation reforms that were introduced in 2017. This grant is intended to boost adopter recruitment across England and continue the successful recruitment strategies employed by RAAs since this funding was first made available in 2019.

Decision:

The Director of Children and Families approved the proposal for the Council to enter into an agreement and accept £2m grant funding from the DfE on behalf of OAWY, such grant funding to be managed by OAWY on behalf of all RAAs for the purpose of undertaking adoption recruitment activity on a national and regional scale and supporting the development of a national adoption strategic lead and project team to further improve the adoption system for children, with the Council acting as the lead local authority.

Reason Key: Financial Impact>£500K;

Wards Affected: (All Wards);

If the decision has not been published in the List of Forthcoming Key Decisions for at least 28 clear days, the reason why it would be impracticable to delay the decision:: We were not able to publish on the list of forthcoming key decisions for 28 days because the decision to make the funding available was not made formally by DfE until week commencing 14/6/21 and the decision will need to be implemented rapidly if it is to be spent in time. Therefore we are taking this decision under general exemption rule 2.5 of the constitution.

Portfolio Holder: Executive Member for Adult and Children's Social Care and Health Partnerships

Other reasons / organisations consulted

National Adoption Steering Group meetings

RAA Leaders Group meetings

Consultees

Director of Children and Families

Representatives of National Adoption Steering Group

Contact: Sarah Johal, National Adoption Strategic Lead 07891277316 Email: sarah.johal@leeds.gov.uk.

Publication date: 25/06/2021

Date of decision: 05/07/2021

Effective from: 13/07/2021

Accompanying Documents: