Children’s Services Cabinet Member – minutes – 8 April 2016

33   (33) REGIONALISATION OF ADOPTION SERVICES – The Director of People submitted a report seeking approval in relation to the direction of travel outlined in the Transitional Plan to be submitted to the DfE and implications for North Lincolnshire’s Adoption Service.

The Adoption Reforms continued to gather pace with a clear steer from the Government. The report gave details of “Adoption – A vision for change released by the DfE in March 2016 which highlighted the Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Children and Families aim to redesign the whole adoption system, delivering  new service models through Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs).

The report highlighted that by 2020 all local authorities would be part of a RAA or would have delegated their adoption functions to a RAA, which would be responsible  for recruitment, matching and support functions and may include support to children and families where there was a Special Guardianship order.

The Education and Adoption Act 2016 contained powers to require local authorities to make arrangements for this adoption function to be carried out by a RAA.

The director in his report set out a preferred option to transfer and establish North Lincolnshire Adoption functions within the context of a proposed RAA outlined in the Transitional Plan for 2016/17. This being a local authority led RAA on behalf of six local authorities on a regional basis.

Resolved – (a) That the direction of travel outlined in the Transitional Plan be approved, and (b) that a further report be considered when the resources and finance implications are available for consideration and approval.