Children Services Staying Safe
Adoption Service Statement of Purpose
2
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Aims and objectives of the service
3. Equality and diversity
4. Services to children
Recruitment preparation and assessment of adoptive parents, 5. approval and support
6. Adoption support
7. Adoption Panels
8. Management arrangements and staffing
9. Monitoring and evaluation of services
10. Complaints
11. Inspection and registration of the adoption service 3
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. This Statement of Purpose has been written in accordance with underpinning legislation, the Local Authority Adoption Service (England) 2003 and the Adoption Support Agencies (England) and Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2005.
1.2. It has also been written in accordance with Standard 18 of the National Minimum Standards 2011 for Adoption Services.
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SERVICE
2.1. Aims
To achieve positive outcomes for children so that they can achieve their full potential
To safeguard, support and promote the best interests of children through the provision of adoption services that ensure permanent, secure and effective care for children where adoption is in the best interests of the child. In doing this, to also ensure that other parties to the adoption process are aware of how their needs can potentially be met
To ensure the provision of a consistent and high quality adoption service to all participants in the adoption process
To provide services so that delay is avoided
2.2. Objectives
To ensure that children for whom adoption is the plan are placed in a timely way with adopters who will meet their lifelong needs 4
To provide a range of placements for use through our regional adoption consortium Adoption 22 and the National Adoption Register that will meet the needs of children by targeting recruitment appropriately in conjunction with other Adoption 22 members
To promote equality and diversity in the Adoption Service
To recruit adopters using a variety of methods within Bolton and in partnership with Adoption 22 colleagues
To provide full and appropriate assessments of prospective adopters and children to Panels
To prepare, train and support adopters through the process of matching and placement
To provide an adoption support plan for all children who are to be placed for adoption and review that plan regularly
To arrange post placement adoptive support as assessed and prescribed by regulations and standards
To provide post adoption support to children and adoptive families based on the assessed need and to develop positive relationships with partner agencies who will also be able to help
To provide support to birth families whose children are being placed for adoption through the provision of an independent support service where appropriate
To provide support to birth families in relation to contact arrangements
To provide a service to adopted adults who wish to access their records 5
To provide an intermediary service to adopted adults who have traced their birth family To be accessible to those service users who wish to use the service.
To provide professional support to the Panels to help in their work
To work with Social Workers from other teams and agencies to ensure appropriate placements are identified
To provide an indirect contact system whereby information can be exchanged between adoptive parents, children and birth parents (known as the ‘letterbox’)
3. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
3.1. Every effort will be made to place a child in a family of the same race and cultures to enable the child to have a positive sense of identity and self- esteem and to have positive role models.
3.2. For children of dual, diverse or minority heritage it is important to identify the elements of the child’s heritage that will assist in prioritising their individual needs. This will inform family finding and matching. Where a family of the same or similar heritage cannot be found quickly, the child will be matched with a family who can meet their other needs and who can help the child to value and understand their heritage.
3.3. For inter-country adoptions the department has a contract with Adoption Matters.
3.4. For service users of the Adoption Service every effort will be made to ensure effective communication. Interpreters and other support services are available to help with communication.
3.5. For children with complex health needs every effort will be made to ensure a family is found to meet their needs. This includes using adoption agencies outside Adoption 22. 6
3.6. As part of adoption support, as much help as possible will be offered to give the child the best possible chance of achieving their maximum potential.
3.7. The adoption service has a contract with ‘Caritas Care’ to have priority access to adopters recruited by this VAA which provides a significant number of families for Bolton children.
3.8. The adoption process is explained in a child-friendly way through our Children’s Guide.
3.9. The department has a contract with ‘Action for Children’ to provide a children’s rights and advocacy service for looked after children.
4. SERVICES TO CHILDREN
4.1. The Department provides services for children requiring adoption. The responsibility for identifying adoption as the appropriate plan for a child is primarily with District Social Workers who work within the care planning and Court process.
4.2. The Adoption Agencies (Panel and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2012 introduced changes from the 1st September 2012. Only children with a plan for adoption where no application for a Placement Order is required need to be presented to the Adoption Panel.
In all other cases when an adoption plan is considered there is a timetabled process (within 26 weeks) concluding with the decision of the Agency Decision Maker and the outcome presented to Court.
This process is timetabled to minimise delay and also ensure that decisions are based on full and relevant information.
The Adoption Social Worker is involved at an early stage to start to gather information for family finding.
4.3. Close joint work between the child’s social worker and the Adoption Social Worker continues with the task of family finding.
4.4. The search for a family begins within the Adoption 22 regional consortium. 7
If an appropriate family is not found quickly within the consortium, the search immediately spreads wider to voluntary adoption agencies and the Adoption Register.
Use of appropriate publications will also be pursued to find an appropriate family.
Delegated authority for funding costs of family finding is with the Head of Service ensuring there is no delay.
4.5. When a prospective adoptive family is identified, the child’s CPR and the PAR are presented to the Adoption Panel and Agency Decision Maker for agreement.
The joint work continues through discussion, sharing of information, planning of the placement and the introductions process. 4.6. Once the child is placed, it is the responsibility of the child’s Social Worker to support the placement alongside the Social Worker for the adoptive family.
4.7. The child’s Social Worker will ensure that each child has a Life Story book which gives them an easy to understand explanation of the circumstances which led to their becoming ‘looked after’ and being placed for adoption. Foster parents can help significantly with the preparation of a Life Story book.
The child’s Social Worker will also ensure that each child has a ‘later life letter’ which expands on the information provided in the life story book
5. RECRUITMENT, PREPARATION AND ASSESSMENT OF ADOPTIVE PARENTS, APPROVAL AND SUPPORT
5.1. The Department seeks to recruit adoptive parents to enable the commitment to Adoption 22 to be fulfilled as part of a reciprocal arrangement. This is to ensure that as many children as possible can be found appropriate adoptive parents within the North West Region. 8
5.2. Adoption applicants are usually required to attend a Preparation Course run by the Adoption Team so that they can have a clear understanding about what adoption involves and can consider whether it is something they wish to pursue.
5.3. An assessment is then undertaken by a member of the Adoption Team. To ensure there is no delay in starting assessments, additional suitably qualified social workers are commissioned where necessary. The information gathered during assessment is then presented to the Adoption Panel who will make their recommendation. The applicants are fully involved in the assessment which is an open process. Applicants are encouraged to attend Panel. Timescales for assessments are in accordance with Regulations and National Minimum Standards.
5.4. Post placement support to the Department’s adoptive parents is provided primarily by their assessing Social Worker and the child’s Social Worker. This includes a potential to refer for more specialist services.
6. ADOPTION SUPPORT
6.1. Post adoption support services are available to a range of potential service users. They are designed to be accessible and also to be seen as a positive contribution by, for example, adoptive parents.
6.2. Adoptive parents will be given clear information as to the detail of the support that is available to them both before and after the Adoption Order so that they can access these services as required. These services will include individual support, ongoing training, specialist groups looking at behaviour management, regular support groups, social events and liaison with other agencies.
6.3. To facilitate this, positive working relationships have been developed with other agencies, particularly health, CAMHS and education.
6.4. Adopted adults will be offered birth records counselling and then access to their birth records. They will also be given help and support if they wish to make contact with their birth family through the intermediary service the Department now provides. 9
6.5. The adoption support team manages the indirect, letterbox arrangements that exist between adoptive parents and birth family members or others who are important to the child. The team offers support to birth parents in this process and this is a developing part of the service.
6.6. Birth parents can also receive independent support in relation to adoption through Caritas Care with whom the Department has a contract.
7. ADOPTION PANELS
7.1. There are two Adoption Panels with three main functions:
To consider whether an adoptive applicant should be approved to care for children.
To consider prospective matches between children and adoptive parents.
To consider plans for adoption of children where no application for a Placement Order is made.
The recommendations made by the Panels in relation to the above are then considered by the Assistant Director, Staying Safe, who is the Agency Decision Maker.
7.2. The composition of the Panels reflects regulation requirements
The Panels are chaired by an Independent Chair, Jenny Booker, who is a qualified Social Worker with 40 years’ experience. She has worked within Local Authorities, a Voluntary Agency and Social Services Inspectorate. This has included experience as a Social Worker, Team Manager and Senior Manager.
From 2003 to 2006, she worked for the Department for Education and Skills as professional advisor to the Adoption Policy Team. She has also worked in 10
CSCI and Ofsted inspecting safeguarding and looked after children services. She has been a Panel member or Chair most of the time since 1977.
There are two vice chairs.
The Panels include a Council Member, District Managers, the medical advisor, adoptive parents, adopted adults, educational psychologist, an emotional health practitioner, a foster carer, a substance misuse worker, social workers and other independent members.
The Panel are advised by the Council’s legal advisor and the adoption agency advisors who are the Adoption Team Manager and the Deputy Team Manager.
8. MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS AND STAFFING
8.1. The registered agency provider is Bolton Council Children’s Services. The responsible individual and decision maker is
John Daly Assistant Director (Staying Safe) Bolton Council Children’s Service Paderborn House Howell Croft North Civic Centre Bolton BL1 1JW
He has social work and management qualifications and 35 years’ experience of children and families work, including 13 years at a senior level and 4 years in his current post.
8.2. The Head of Service (Children’s Resources) is Tom O’Loughlin. He has a degree, the social work qualification and a Diploma in Applied Social Studies and 37 years’ experience of children and families work, 8 years in his current post. 11
8.3. The Team Manager for the Adoption Team is Jules Clarke. She has been employed in Children’s Services since 1985. She has worked in children’s homes and secure units in safeguarding and in family placement, both as a social work practitioner and manager. She has significant experience of adoption work. She has been in her current post for 19 months.
She also has experience of lecturing, writing and research. She has a degree in Psychology, the Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, the Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Social Studies, the Diploma in Family Placement and the Practice Teachers Award.
She is currently studying for the level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services. (England)
Jules Clarke is also the designated Adoption Support Service Advisor (ASSA).
The Adoption Team has a full time Deputy Manager. She has 20 years’ experience in child care including experience in safeguarding, care proceedings as a District Social Worker and as part of the Adoption Team. She has the Qualification in Social Work and the PQ Child Care Award. She has been the Deputy Manager for 9 months.
These managers together with the Adoption Team are based at:
Bolton Council Children’s Services Castle Hill Centre Castleton Street Tonge Moor Bolton BL2 2JW
8.4. The Adoption Service has a Senior Practitioner who has over 33 years experience of working with children and families (18 years as a qualified social worker). She has 13 years working in the field of adoption including an adoption team, a specialist adoption support team in CAMHS, and her current post working in adoption support.
8.5. The Service has, in total (including the Senior Practitioner) 7 full time equivalent qualified Social Worker posts. 12
Recently an additional half time post (18.5 hours) has been added to strengthen the service. This new post has not yet been filled.
8.6. The Senior Practitioner and one Social Worker provide adoption support services. The other Social Workers in the service provide a range of adoption services.
8.7. The seven Social Workers (including the Senior Practitioner) currently in post all have the Social Work Qualification and six have the PQ Child Care Award. They have significant experience of children and families and adoption work.
8.8. All members of the adoption service are registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council.
8.9. Appendix 1 is a structure chart for the service.
9. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF SERVICES
9.1. The Department’s Performance section oversees the collection of statistical and other data on adoption in line with Department for Education requirements. Performance indicators used include numbers of placements, adoption orders, timescales for adoption and disruption information. This information is presented to Panels and to the Department’s Senior Management and Executive Members at the prescribed intervals.
9.2. Internal information is also collected on the recruitment of adopters and associated information to ensure compliance with National Standards.
9.3. The effectiveness and quality of assessments is overseen by the managers of the service and through supervision. Allocation and tracking of adoption work, in line with the Department’s other services, is subject to audit. The Adoption Panels scrutinise assessments to ensure they make fully informed recommendations and there is an Annual Report and quarterly reports of performance.
9.4. Other services provided by the team in respect of support to adopters, birth families, children adopted and adults who have been adopted are overseen by 13
the managers of the service and through supervision. Supervision standards in the Department require minimum monthly supervision meetings, recorded and agreed, including decisions relating to service users.
9.5. Services commissioned by the Department such as placements, post adoption support and services to birth parents and adults who have been adopted are reviewed through contract setting, monitoring and review mechanisms. The Department has a Contracts Officer to assist with this process.
9.6. There is a focus on achieving good outcomes for children and young people, through monitoring all aspects of their development during the adoption process. There is also a focus on stability, minimising disruptions and, when disruptions occur, there is a clear process for reviewing and learning any lessons for future work.
10. COMPLAINTS
10.1. The Department has a full and comprehensive complaints procedure compliant with the Children Act (1989) and Complaints Procedure Directions (1990).
10.2. Complaints may be made by any member of the public dissatisfied with the service they receive. The objectives of the Department’s procedures are to give service users the opportunity to be heard, offered reconciliation and have their complaint dealt with in a more formal way.
10.3. The stages of the Procedure are:-
To provide informal redress and reconciliation as soon as staff and managers are aware of dissatisfaction
Stage 1 - to have the complaint dealt with by the relevant manager
Stage 2 - if Stage 1 does not resolve the issue, an independent person may be appointed to review the complaint and action taken, 14
investigate the complaint and make recommendations to the Department
Stage 3 - if Stage 2 does not provide resolution, for the complaint to be heard before a Panel independently chaired with other members from the Authority and with Councillor representation. The Panel makes its recommendations to the Director.
10.4. Complainants may take their case to the Ombudsman if they continue to be aggrieved, and are so informed.
10.5. All complaints from Stage 1 to 3 are overseen and the process managed by the Customer Relations Section of the Department.
10.6. Complaints may be made to the manager of the Adoption Service or the Customer Relations Officer at:-
BMBC Children’s Services Department Paderborn House Bolton Tel: 01204 332007
10.7. Complainants also have the right to make their complaint direct to their local councillor. Their contact details can be obtained from:-
Members’ Secretariat Town Hall Bolton BL1 1RU Tel: 01204 331098.
10.8 The Department commissions a Children’s Rights & Advocacy Service from
‘Action for Children’, Breightmet Street, Bolton BL2 1BR. Tel: 01204 362002 15
10.9 Children / Young People can also contact
The Office of The Children’s Rights Director, Ofsted, Aviation House, 125 Kingwsay, London WC2B 6SE
Freephone 0800 528 0731
11. INSPECTION AND REGISTRATION OF THE ADOPTION SERVICE
11.1. This is carried out by:
OFSTED (Social Care) Piccadilly Gate Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Email: [email protected]
This Statement of Purpose was updated on the 17th December 2012 and will be reviewed regularly.
D:\Docs\2017-12-15\002746278388b41e18dfd4aa831cd0bf.doc APPENDIX 1
Adoption Service Structure Chart
Director of Children’s Service Margaret Asquith
Assistant Director Staying Safe John Daly (Responsible Person and Agency Decision Maker)
Head of Service Children’s Resources Tom O’Loughlin
Fostering Service Adoption Service Children’s 360 Young Bridges Team Manager Residential Peoples Substance Provider Services for Jules Clarke Services Misuse Service Disabled Children (Registered Manager and ASSA)
Deputy Manager
Adoption Support Adoption Services 1 Senior Practitioner 5.5 Qualified Social Workers 1 Qualified Social Worker