Archived decisions
Hampshire County Council | |||
Executive Member for Children's Services |
Item 12 | ||
23 March 2006 |
| ||
Actions resulting from the Inspection of the Hampshire Adoption Agency by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in November 2005. | |||
Report of the Director of Children's Services | |||
Contact: Sue Kocaman. 01962 847263 [email protected]
1 Summary
1.1 The following decisions are sought:
That the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services notes the recommendations of the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the resulting action plan,in respect of the Hampshire Adoption Agency, and invites a further report in July 2006 confirming that appropriate action has been taken to improve services.
2 Reason(s)
The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the adoption agency meets the needs of our most vulnerable children. The service supports aims one, four and five of the Corporate Strategy by:
2.1 Maximising life opportunities for children who are looked after by ensuring that permanent families are recruited to care for children who cannot be cared for at home, resulting in the best possible outcomes for those children.
2.2 Building strong and safe communities by helping children who are looked after to develop strong and permanent links with a new community, enabling them to fully participate in and contribute to the life of that community. In addition, by supporting those individuals and families whose child is placed for adoption, through the provision of emotional and practical support.
2.3 Improving services by providing a benchmark against which Hampshire can improve its performance and continually develop the service provided by the adoption agency.
2.4 The inspection process and resulting recommendations support all five outcomes required in `Every Child Matters' and the Children Act 2004, by ensuring that services are managed safely and provide safe care for children; that children's health needs are met and promoted, and that they are encouraged and enabled to achieve their educational potential, at all stages of their lives and into adulthood. The service should support everyone involved in the adoption process, so that children can achieve and enjoy leisure and social activities which enable them to participate fully in the life of their community. Children who have special needs, physical or emotional, should be able to expect to be found adoptive families in the same way as their peers, and should also expect to be able to access services which will enable them to become as independent as possible and to move into careers and employment which will be rewarding and fulfilling.
3 Other options considered and rejected
3.1 That no further report is requested to ensure that appropriate improvements have been made - this would be unacceptable and may leave vulnerable children at risk., or unable to achieve permanence outside of the care system.
4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision-maker or a member for officer consulted
4.1 Not applicable.
5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee
5.1 Not applicable.
6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent
6.1 Not applicable.
Approved by: Date:
Councillor Felicity Hindson
Executive Member for Children's Services
| |||
Actions resulting from the Inspection of the Hampshire Adoption Agency by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in November 2005. | |||
Contact Name: Sue Kocaman 01962 847263. [email protected]
1 Summary
1.1 This report outlines the actions to be taken as a result of recommendations arising from the inspection of the Hampshire County Council Adoption Agency by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) in November 2005.
1.2 The Care Standards Act 2000 made provision for a three yearly inspection of all Adoption Agencies, whether managed by a Local Authority or managed within the voluntary sector. Services are inspected against a set of standards which accompany the Adoption Agency Regulations 2002.
1.3 This is the first inspection of Hampshire's adoption agency since the new standards came into force. As such, it provided a benchmark for the service for the first time since the agency was inspected by the Social Services Inspectorate in 1999. That inspection led to a reorganisation of the adoption agency, as a result of some significant shortfalls being identified.
1.4 The inspection was carried out by a team from the CSCI which specialises in adoption inspections and has a national rather than a regional remit.
1.5 The Inspectors found that there were six areas where the service performed well, with improvements to be made in respect of eight statutory requirements. The Inspectors also made a number of `good practice' recommendations.
1.6 The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the adoption agency meets the needs of our mosr vulnerable children. The service supports aims one, four and five of the Corporate Strategy by:
1.6.1 Maximising life opportunities for children who are looked after by ensuring that permanent families are recruited to care for children who cannot be cared for at home, resulting in the best possible outcomes for those children.
1.6.2 Building strong and safe communities by helping children who are looked after to develop strong and permanent links with a new community, enabling them to fully participate in and contribute to the life of that community. In addition, by supporting those individuals and families whose child is placed for adoption, through the provision of emotional and practical support.
1.6.3 Improving services by providing a benchmark against which Hampshire County Council can improve its performance and continually develop the service provided by the adoption agency.
1.6.4 The inspection process and resulting recommendations support all five outcomes required in `Every Child Matters' and the Children Act 2004, by ensuring that services are managed safely and provide safe care for children; that children's health needs are met and promoted, and that they are encouraged and enabled to achieve their educational potential, at all stages of their lives and into adulthood. The service should support everyone involved in the adoption process, so that children can achieve and enjoy leisure and social activities which enable them to participate fully in the life of their community. Children who have special needs, physical or emotional, should be able to expect to be found adoptive families in the same way as their peers, and should also expect to be able to access services which will enable them to become as independent as possible and to move into careers and employment which will be rewarding and fulfilling.
2 Background
2.1 The County Council's adoption service comprises of a strategic and an operational service manager and five team managers who in turn manage in the region of 65 staff, made up of qualified and unqualified personnel. One team takes a lead role in recruiting and assessing adopters across Hampshire, whilst a second team provides adoption support services. The three remaining teams work with the children whose plans are for adoption and ensure that the plans are made appropriately and children placed without undue delay .
2.2 The service also employs an adoption panel co-ordinator and adviser who oversees the four adoption panels across the County. It has temporarily employed a marketing and recruitment officer for a nine month period. The service commissions an independent panel chair, and has contracts with three independent providers in respect of Inter- Country Adoption, support for adopters, and counselling services for adopted adults who wish to trace their birth families.
2.3 Where children cannot be found adoptive families within Hampshire's resources, efforts are made to find families through other adoption agencies. Hampshire is a member of a consortium which has two other local authorities and a Voluntary Adoption Agency within it. The National Adoption register is also a source of placements for some children. On the whole, most children are able to be found families within the County's own resources.
2.4 The service has also taken responsibility for responding to applications made to the courts in respect of Special Guardianship, and the provision of support services which the Local Authority have been required to provide since December 2005, under the Special Guardianship Regulations 2005.
2.5 The adoption agency, with the kinship service, recently met its Public Service Agreement ( PSA) target in that it increased the number of children in care who were found permanent families either through adoption or through placements with family and friends carers. This resulted in the awarding of a performance reward grant for the sector.
2.6 The inspection of the service was carried out in the same month that the new Adoption and Children Act 2002 came into force, along with a raft of new Regulations and standards. The service was therefore in the unusual position of being inspected against standards and regulations, some of which were about to change within a matter of weeks. Preparation for an inspection and for a significant change in the law presented some challenges to the staff, who nevertheless continued to give their total commitment to meeting the needs of the children with plans for adoption.
3 Inspection outcomes
3.1 The inspection summary concludes that the service performs well in the following areas:
`Hampshire adoption service employed a number of very experienced and well qualified staff members who were committed and enthusiastic in carrying out their work.
Service managers were aware of the gaps in service provision and have been proactive in developing projects and setting up initiatives to improve service delivery and improved outcomes for both adopters and children, for example:-
· Arrangements to provide opportunities for adopters to acquire more hands-on childcare experience
· Arrangements to develop a mediation service to assist in setting up direct contact plans
· Arrangements to improve recruitment of adopters for `hard to place' children
· Arrangements to provide further training for adoption social workers on attachment style interviews
· Arrangements to provide educational services to support adopters
· Arrangements to appoint a marketing officer to develop and operate a recruitment plan for adopters
The agency operates four adoption panels per month who are able to progress children's plans in a timely manner. The administration of the panels was excellent and the quality of the minutes good.
Training provided for adopters was reported to be of a good standard, one adopter stated `it opened my eyes', another that the training was `excellent'.
Adopters reported that their assessments were sensitively undertaken, and a number of commendations were received from adopters about their individual social workers.
It was clear that as much information as was available on children was shared with adopters to help them consider a possible match. Medical advisers spend some time discussing the child's medical background with adopters prior to that match being made and adopters value this opportunity and guidance.
Other placing authorities reported that their experience of Hampshire adoption services was good and child focused.
The letterbox scheme run by the adoption support service was well organised and support was offered to the birth family members who required it.
There was evidence of good work being undertaken by childcare social workers regarding life storybooks.
Training for childcare staff on adoption issues was well received and comprehensive. Training opportunities were seen to be good and staff were encouraged to undertake a post qualifying award in social work.
The arrangements for the security and storage of archives in the County Record office were excellent.'
3.2 The service was considered to be able to make improvements in the following areas:
`The agency need to improve the practices in relation to the safety and security of children; in particular, arrangements for appointing and staff who work for the purposes of the agency need to be more robust in ensuring the references and checks have been undertaken.
Further attention must also be paid to ensure proper child protection processes and procedures are pursued following the allegation of abuse and that these are recorded and filed appropriately.
The management of staff needs to be reviewed urgently to ensure effective organisation, appropriate levels of staffing and efficient processes to provide a more cohesive and integrated service. This is due to the number of concerns about, for example:
· Levels of communication and consultation across the service
· Amount of equipment and administrative support
· The quality of supervision of some staff
· Many staff feeling overwhelmingly undervalued
· The isolation of adoption social work staff
· The lack of fully integrated planning when creating new initiatives
· Inconsistencies in practise across the county
· Inconsistencies within the four adoption panels
· Staffing levels within adoption support and community therapy services
· The difficulties of identifying all children who require an adoptive placement
· The mismatch between approved adopters and a range of children waiting for placements
The agency also needs to develop and define written strategies, concerning a number of areas of responsibility such as;
· The implementation and evaluation of recruitment of adopters (ensuring a more welcoming and inclusive approach)
· Written procedures for the number of and range of references required when undertaking adopter assessments;
· The facilities and services provided to support both adopters and children in placement and the facilities and services provided for birth parents and birth family members both before and after the adoption order.
Once developed the agency need to ensure these policies are fully implemented.
Information for approved adopters needs to be developed to take into account the uncertainties and insecurities adopters feel whilst going through the linking, matching, introductions and placement process.
A number of issues around the operation of the panel were picked up, in particular; the need to challenge the sometimes unhelpful style and language used in children's assessments.
Further work needs to be undertaken to ensure the files of adopters and children contain appropriate information as required by the regulations and to ensure that these files are audited regularly and remedial action taken when necessary.
The agency needs to consider the safety and security of open case records held at different locations and to ensure that the risk of fire and water damage is minimised.'
4 Conclusions
4.1 An action plan has been developed and approved by the senior management team in response to the recommendations for improvement, and is contained at Appendix one of this report.
4.2 Some improvements to the provision of statutory services within the adoption support team will be possible once staff have been recruited to new posts within the team. The costs of these posts were considered by the Children's Services Policy Review Committee on 17 January 2006, in the Revenue Budget report. Approval was given by the Executive Member for Children's Services on 19 January 2006. This will result in the Adoption support team doubling in size.
4.3 Many improvements will be possible by working closely with staff to ensure training and written guidance support good practice, to developing expertise within the agency, and by working with colleagues to improve systems.
4.4 Further potential developments have been identified which would make a significant contribution to the ability of the agency to improve its service. For example, developing and strengthening recruitment and marketing activity; improving support services for adopters through training and service provision, and taking the opportunities provided by the forthcoming remodelling of the department to ensure that maximum benefit is gained from the co location of staff.
4.5 These developments would require budgets to be realigned within existing funding.
4.6 The full Inspection report will be available on the website of the Commission for Social Care Inspection in due course.
4.7 A further report will be submitted to the Policy Review Committee in July 2006, along with the Annual report and Statement of Purpose. This will provide an opportunity for members to be updated on the progress of the action plan and to approve the amended statement of purpose and children's guide.
5. Legal Implications
The adoption agency will be able to fulfil its statutory requirement to provide a service as required under the Adoption Support Agency Regulations 2005, once further staff are appointed to the Adoption Support Service
6 Financial Implications
6.1 A commitment has already been given to approve additional expenditure in order to develop some services resulting from the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, by Children's Services Policy Review Committee on 17 January 2006 and The Executive Lead Member for Children's Services on 19 January 2006.
6.2 Developments identified in Paragraph 4.4 would require budgets to be realigned within existing funding.
7. Personnel Implications
Additional posts have been fully funded and need to be approved in the workforce plan for 2006-07 in order for the agency to meet its statutory requirements.
8 Impact assessment
The inspection of Hampshire's adoption service has identified some areas where further work should be carried out in order to ensure that services are responsive to prospective adopters and to meet the needs and interests of children from diverse backgrounds.
13 Crime prevention issues
None
14 Views of the Local County Councillor
Not applicable. This report refers to County wide services and there are no specific issues relating to any one Councillor's Electoral Division.
Recommendations
It is recommended that the Children's Services Policy Review Committee notes the recommendations of the annual inspection of the adoption service, and the resultant action plan and invites an update report in July 2006.
Appendix A
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ADOPTION SERVICE
ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO INSPECTION
1.1 STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Voluntary Adoption and the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2003 or Local Authority Adoption service Regulations 2003 and the national Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales. | |||||||
No. |
Standard |
Regulation |
Requirement |
Completion date for action |
Actions being taken to address statutory requirement | ||
1 |
AD2 |
Local Authority Adoption agency Regulations 2003. Regulation 9. (2) (a) (b) (c) |
The agency must ensure that the written child protection policies and procedures are robustly followed to ensure thorough protection of children placed or to be placed for adoption. |
31/1/06 |
The procedures have been re issued to all staff and training has been commissioned. This will be mandatory for all staff in the Adoption and Permanence Service - 2 half days each year . One member of staff from each team will act as a co-ordinator in conjunction with the Team manager. | ||
2 |
AD2 |
The Children Act 1989 |
The Agency must ensure that the practice of `blind sightings' ceases. |
13/1/06 |
This has ceased and will be replaced by increasing the use of video recordings of children. | ||
3 |
AD11 |
Adoption Agency Regulations 1983. Regulation 5 (4) |
The agency must ensure that the panel is quorate at all times. The panel must be constituted under the Fostering Regulations 2002 as well, if it is to consider plans for children who have a concurrency plan who are to be placed with foster/adopters or the recommendation of concurrency and long term foster carers. |
31.01.06 |
In future any approval of a carer under the Fostering Services Regulations 2002, will be presented to the Fostering Panel. | ||
4 |
AD10 |
Adoption Agency Regulations 1983. Regulation 10. |
The agency's adoption panel must discontinue the practise of making recommendations in principle. |
13/01/06 |
This has ceased as of 30th December 2005. | ||
5 |
AD28AD19Ad15 |
Local Authority Adoption Agency Regulations 2003. Regulation 11. Schedule 3 and schedule 4. |
The agency must ensure that all staff working for the purposes of the adoption agency, (including all administrative staff, panel members and sessional staff) have all checks and references carried out, and that evidence of this is held on their personal file. |
10/02/06 |
A joint action plan between the adoption service and the HR team has been approved by the senior management team, to ensure that this work is carried out over the next three months and audited subsequently for continued compliance. | ||
6 |
AD1 |
Local Authority Adoption Agency Regulations 2003. Regulation 2. |
The agency must make some additions to its Statement of Purpose to ensure it fully complies with Schedule 1. |
10/02/06 |
The Statement of purpose has been updated and the amended version will be presented to Elected Members for approval in July 2006. | ||
7 |
AD14 |
Local Authority Adoption Agency Regulations 2003. Regulation 10. |
The agency must ensure that there is a sufficient number of qualified, competent and experienced persons working for the purposes of the Adoption service. |
31/03/06 |
The department is currently remodelling in response to Every Child Matters and the new structure will reflect the need to prioritise children whose plan is for permanence away from their birth parents, to ensure that an appropriate number of suitably qualified staff are allocated to each task. In particular, the Adoption Support Team has approval to double the number of staff in order to respond to statutory requirements. Whilst it has been recognised that the provision of a CAMH service for children in this area of work is a priority, additional resources are not currently available. | ||
8 |
AD16 |
Local Authority Adoption Agency Regulations 2003. Regulation 7. |
The agency must ensure that its service is managed with sufficient care, competence and skill. |
10/02/06 |
All staff have contributed to a forum where they have identified key priorities for their own support and development. A communication strategy was also agreed to ensure that staff feel listened to, and can share and develop good practise across the service. | ||
RECOMMENDATIONS These recommendations relate to National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the Registered Provider/s to consider carrying out. |
|||||
No. |
Refer to Standard |
Good Practice Recommendations |
Actions being taken to address recommendations | ||
1 |
AD2 |
The agency should develop a recruitment strategy, which includes plans for the implementation and evaluation of effective strategies to recruit sufficient adopters to meet the needs of the range of children waiting for adoption locally. This strategy should also include the details of the pilot project and the ways in which this project work is linked to the rest of the adoption work. |
Proposals in respect of implementing the recruitment strategy and piloting arrangements for developing a specific family finding role to complement this, need to be underpinned by further investment in the service. Senior managers have asked for detailed work to be carried out by the summer to ascertain the viability of this. | ||
2 |
AD3 |
The agency should ensure that people who are interested in becoming adoptive parents are welcomed without prejudice. Any staff preconceptions about who will best make good adoptive parents should be challenged to ensure an inclusive approach to single carers, older carers and gay and lesbian carers. |
As part of the review of the marketing strategy (above) a review of the literature will be carried out, including service users in the process, to ensure that it is inclusive. Further diversity training will be commissioned on a rolling programme, to ensure that staff continue to be aware of the issues in respect of recruitment and support of carers. | ||
3. |
AD2 |
The agency should improve processes to develop a more robust approach to identifying and monitoring children for whom adoption is the plan. |
Adoption and Children Act training will emphasise the need to identify children whose plans are for adoption, early in the planning process. In addition, the current monthly monitoring arrangement will include more robust identification and tracking of children early in the planning process. | ||
4. |
AD2 |
The agency should ensure that it makes robust efforts to ensure that children are matched with adopters who best meet their assessed needs, in particular their religious needs. |
The recruitment strategy will emphasise the need to target recruitment towards specific carers who can meet the diverse needs of children requiring adoptive families. Staff have been reminded of the requirement to prioritise meeting the religious and cultural needs of children when identifying an adopter.. The departmental policy statement has also been amended to emphasise this. | ||
5. |
AD2 |
The agency should ensure that a qualified psychologist, independent of the case, carries out all sibling relationship/attachment assessments. |
The agency will review their practice guidance on carrying out sibling assessments to ensure that these assessments are undertaken independently of the case holder, in conjunction with other qualified staff. The views of other professionals in partner agencies will be sought in order to meet the requirements of such assessments. | ||
6. |
AD4 |
The agency should ensure that any applicants with a disability are treated fairly and their needs are met so they can fully participate in the training and assessment. |
The agency will ensure that applicants with a disability are treated fairly by ensuring that all venues are user friendly and accessible, and that all literature reflects the diversity of applicants. | ||
7. |
AD4 |
The agency should ensure that it has a clearly set out preparation programme made available to all prospective adopters, which avoids delays in the process. |
In the light of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, a preparation programme has been agreed which ensures that the required timescales are met. If there is an unavoidable delay, the reasons why are recorded on the applicants file. | ||
8. |
AD4AD4 |
The adoption agency should ensure that it regularly reviews and evaluates the outcomes of the "Sure Start" programme for prospective adopters. The effectiveness of the preparation programme should also be formally evaluated and reviewed annually. |
A review of all training and assessment of applicants will be undertaken to include Surestart but also to ensure that any review of the training programme by the county adoption team is monitored and takes into account service users views | ||
9 |
AD4 |
The adoption agency should ensure a more analytical based approach to carrying out assessments. The assessment also needs to contain more investigation into the applicant's abilities to manage diversity issues (particularly sexuality issues). An agreed policy about the number and range of references and checks should be agreed and implemented by the adoption staff. |
Adult attachment interview training will be commissioned for all the County Adoption Team, to undertake this style of interviewing and assessment. All staff have been reminded of the departmental policy on the number and range of references and checks. | ||
10 |
AD5 |
The agency should ensure that it provides as much information as possible on the child to be placed for adoption; in particular it should develop a policy and procedure for the use of Child Appreciation Days. |
Permanence staff to identify the lessons learnt from the life appreciation days that have been undertaken so far and to produce guidance for their future use. | ||
11 |
AD5Ad23 |
The agency should ensure that child care and adoption staff fully understand the matching process. |
Training on the new Adoption and Children Act will ensure that staff are aware of the process for matching and linking children with adopters. | ||
12 |
AD10 |
The agency should ensure that the panel's policies fully comply with this standard. Panel policies concerning the handling of any declarations of interest and the management of inappropriate behaviour or language by panel members should be more robustly managed. |
All panel members have been issued with a new set of performance requirements and associated standards . Annual appraisal have been set up for the coming year. Further training regarding anti discriminatory language and practice will be provided. | ||
13 |
AD10 |
The agency should ensure the panel members receive progress reports on individual cases on a regular basis, in order for them to fully exercise their quality assurance function. |
The Adoption Adviser will ensure that panel members are routinely updated on cases as part of the business agenda. | ||
14 |
AD19 |
The agency should ensure that child care social workers receive further training, advice and guidance on the writing of a child form E document (including content, language and style) to ensure that it fully reflects the needs of its various audiences and functions and ensures a fair and accurate portrayal of the information provided. |
All permanence reports for panel will be undertaken by the permanence staff or by staff being advised by more experienced colleagues. In addition training on the new requirements under the Adoption and Children Act will incorporate this recommendation. | ||
15 |
AD10 |
The agency should ensure that feedback received by attendees of the adoption panel is formally evaluated to inform future practice. |
The adoption adviser will ensure that feedback is collated and reported regularly to all parties to ensure that it is taken into account in developing practise. | ||
16 |
AD19Ad28AD15 |
The agency should ensure that telephone inquiries are made to verify the written references of all those working for the purposes of the adoption service, before they begin work. |
This practise is already in place in respect of staff recruited recently. In respect of historic appointments, a joint action plan is being presented to senior managers as described in the Statutory Requirements ( no. 5) | ||
17 |
AD21 |
The agency should ensure that the work of the adoption support team and community therapists is regularly reviewed, to ensure staffing levels are sufficient to meet the demand in this growth area. |
This is addressed in Statutory Requirements (no. 7).Demand on the service will be regularly monitored. | ||
18 |
AD6 |
The agency should ensure that it has a clear written strategy for working with and supporting adopters. This strategy should include all the recent developments across the department and must be shared with both adopters and staff. The agency should ensure that it improves the quality of the written information to approved adopters about the matching, introductions and placement of children. |
Agreed- this will be carried out over the coming year, in consultation with service users and in partnership with Adoption UK. | ||
19 |
AD6 |
The agency should ensure that staff are fully aware of the services and facilities available to support adopters following placement and are helped and supported to complete the adoption support plans. |
The above strategy to be shared with all staff who will be regularly updated on service developments. Team Managers to be required to ensure that all staff are kept informed of the requirements in respect of adoption support plans. | ||
20 |
AD18 |
The agency together with relevant health services should ensure that the work of the medical advisers is regularly evaluated and monitored, and that the protocols reflect what has been agreed in this process. |
Adoption Advisor and Strategic Service Manager to meet with the medical advisors to monitor the requests for medicals and for meetings with families, in order that any unmet need can be identified and representations made to the relevant authority. | ||
21 |
AD9AD8AD7 |
The agency should develop a clear written strategy for working with birth family members both before and after adoption, including providing relevant information about local and national support groups. |
Agreed- this will be carried out over the coming year, following consultation with service users and a formal tendering process. | ||
22 |
AD9 |
The agency should develop a comprehensive policy and procedure for managing direct contact arrangements, to ensure proper planning, preparation and debriefing needs are met. |
The departments has agreed the funding of additional qualified Social Work hours in order to ensure that this element of the service is fully developed. | ||
23 |
AD20 |
The agency should ensure that the professional supervision and consultation provided for social work staff provides an opportunity for reflective/analytical practice, as well as being task centred and the decisions agreed at annual appraisals are followed through. |
Operational Service Manager to review all Performance Development Reviews with each Team manager and audit a sample of supervision notes and PDR's across the service. Review in 6 months time. | ||
24 |
AD21 |
The agency should ensure that adoption social workers have the opportunity to be involved in a broad range of adoption activity to enable them to develop a more child focused service. |
A review of the county Adoption Team role will be undertaken , including their involvement in the family finding process. Agreement has already been given that staff continue the practise of role `swops' with colleagues and that special guardianship assessments should become part of their remit. | ||
25 |
AD19 |
The agency should ensure that the role of the proposed support workers in the adoption team is clearly defined, that these staff have the knowledge and understanding of the adoption process and that they are supervised appropriately. |
Role profiles and a service specification, as well as proposals for evaluating this role will be agreed by the senior management team prior to recruitment. | ||
26 |
AD20 |
The agency should ensure that the role of the professional/panel adviser is managed effectively to prevent confusion and inconsistent practices. |
The role of the adviser is to be reviewed in respect of the relationship with the rest of the service. | ||
27 |
AD20 |
The agency should ensure that there is an adequate level of clerical and administrative support, office equipment and infrastructure, to enable staff to carry out their duties in an effective and efficient manner. |
Requested items of equipment for the Permanence & Adoption service have been agreed and will be purchased immediately. Given the department's re-organisation into a Children Services, the level of clerical and administration support will need to be addressed within the proposal for the new department. | ||
28 |
AD27 |
The agency should ensure that separate records are kept for the collation of complaints and allegations and that these are monitored regularly. |
Separate records to be set within the children & carers files, outlining the complaints and allegation and significant events in relation to that case. Service Manager to maintain a spreadsheet of all complaints and allegations in relation to the service and to regularly review these with the Team Managers, on a 6 monthly period. | ||
29 |
AD25AD27 |
The agency should ensure that the system used to monitor the quality and adequacy of records is "rolled out" to all adoption and permanency teams; that written entries are legible; and that decisions by supervisors are recorded on case files, signed and dated. |
All previous audits to be copied and placed on files and the auditing process to continue. Team Managers to ensure they see files on a regular basis, and evidence this either by signing the Statutory Review or the statutory visit or when any decision is taken. | ||
30 |
AD25 |
The agency should ensure that information is appropriately filed to ensure there is no breach of confidentiality. |
Agreed. This has been raised with Records management staff to ensure that guidance for staff complies with Data Protection and access to records legislation. | ||
31 |
AD25 |
The agency should ensure that a system is developed specifically for children's adoption files and adopters files that is relevant and appropriate for the information that is required to be stored there. |
Agreed. This is to be developed with colleagues as above. | ||
32 |
AD29 |
The agency should ensure that appropriate security systems are in place at all the identified adoption premises. |
Premises section has been notified of this requirement and will undertake the necessary action to ensure that the files and premises are safe. | ||
33 |
AD29 |
The agency's disaster recovery plan needs to address the issue of security of open adoption files held in different offices across the county. It should undertake a risk assessment on these files to ensure that damage by fire and water is minimised. |
The Disaster Recovery Plan is being updated to reflect this requirement. | ||