New regional adoption agency to be formed by Peterborough and Cambridgeshire councils

The two local authorities will launch the agency by 31 March 2021, with the partnership to run at least until 30 November 2030, when it will be considered for extension as agreed by both parties.

Speaking to members of the Cabinet at their online meeting (30 November), Lou Williams, Service Director, Children and Safeguarding, said: “The government requires all local authorities to have established regional adoption arrangements by March 31 2021.

“Cabinet previously agreed in principle to the establishment of a Regional Adoption Agency between Peterborough and Cambridgeshire in July 2018.

“At this time, the plan was for this agency to be operated by a Voluntary Adoption Agency following a procurement exercise.

“The outcome of the procurement exercise was that no voluntary agencies successfully met the requirements.

“As a direct result, the two local authorities subsequently requested that the Department for Education agree that the two authorities continued to develop regional adoption arrangements, but with these now being hosted by Cambridgeshire County Council.

“The Department for Education agreed to this request, which is very good news both for the council and for adoption services for children in both authorities.

“A partnership agreement between the two authorities has been developed that covers all aspects of the operation of the Regional Adoption Agency.

“Under the arrangements, a small number of staff working within the current Peterborough Adoption Service will transfer to Cambridgeshire County Council under TUPE arrangements.

“The development of this shared approach to adoption between the two councils meets the requirement of Government and fits very positively with the development of shared services within children’s services more broadly.

“Limiting regional adoption arrangements to Peterborough and Cambridgeshire means that the resulting adoption service remains very closely aligned to the rest of children’s services in the two authorities.

“This is important, since adoption services need to be able to recruit adopters able to meet the needs of the profile of children coming into care.

“Early discussions between those parts of the service that are responsible for safeguarding children and adoption services result in less delay in matching children in need of adoption with suitable adoptive families.

“The existing adoption services in the two authorities are both rated as ‘Good’ and bringing them together into a single service offers real opportunities to build on the strengths of each.

“Joining the adoption services also means that we can build resilience across the two, and be in a better position to, for example, respond to requests for post adoption support from those who have been affected by adoption – most often adoptive parents who are experiencing some difficulties and are seeking support in meeting the needs of their children.”
Cllr Irene Walsh asked: “How are the outcomes for vulnerable children going to improve as a result of this new adoption service?”
Mr Williams replied: “What we want to do is to create a powerful advocate for adoption in the courts, and while only a very small number of children go through the court process for adoption, for the right children it is absolutely the right process to find them families.

“The problems we find ourselves facing now are that the courts are often reluctant to make an order where the children involved are slightly older at primary school age.

“So, in cases like that we understand that their concern is that a child may be left in limbo for a long time while an adoption agency finds a family placement for them.

“By pooling our resources in the adoption services across two local authorities, its more likely that we can find matches for children and we can then advocate for those children jointly, hopefully persuading the courts that an adoption order would be in the best interest of the child.”

Both authorities will review the arrangements in the six months prior to 31 March 2022, and will agree on the long-term, future arrangements for the services.