Archived decisions
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Annual Report and Statement of Purpose of the Hampshire Adoption Service. | |||
Contact Name: Sue Kocaman 01962 847263. [email protected]
1. Summary
1.1 This report summarises activity within the adoption service within the last twelve months and includes, at Appendix One an update of the action plan following the inspection of the service by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in November 2005 and, at Appendix Two, an updated Statement of Purpose for the service.
1.2 A children's version of the Statement of Purpose is available in a booklet provided by the service.
1.3 A statement of purpose is also available to parents, and is referred to in a booklet which is given to all parents whose child's plan is for adoption.
1.4 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.
1.5 This was 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.
1.6 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.
1.7 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 thirty-three `good practice' recommendations. These are shown in detail in Appendix A.
1.8 The adoption agency meets the needs of our mosr vulnerable children. The service supports aims one, four and five of the Corporate Strategy by:
1.8.1 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.
1.8.2 Building strong and safe communities by helping children who are looked after to develop strong and permanent links with a new community and by supporting those individuals and families whose child is placed for adoption.
1.8.3 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.
1.8.4 The adoption service supports all five outcomes required in `Every Child Matters' and the Children Act 2004, by ensuring that services are managed safely and provide security for children; that children's health needs are met and promoted, and that they are encouraged and enabled to achieve their educational and social potential, at all stages of their lives and into adulthood and 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 Teams are almost fully staffed, although the permanence team in the North of the County carries 3 vacancies and has had continual difficulties in recruiting qualified social workers. The adoption support team had 3 additional staff approved earlier this year, in recognition of the increasing legal requirement to provide a range of adoption support services. These have not yet been filled.
2.3 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 two independent panel chairs, 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.
2.4 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.
2.5 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.
2.6 There are four domestic Adoption Panels which meet to consider children's plans for adoption, the suitability of applicants as prospective adoptive parents and proposed matches of children with approved adopters who can best meet their long term needs. These panels met on 47 occasions during the year
2.7 In addition 4 Extra-ordinary panels were held during the year. Two of these panels were set up to deal primarily with cases where children's adoption plans were being rescinded or changed. The remaining two were set up specifically to prevent delay for children's plans for adoption resulting from new legislation which came into force on 30th December.
2.8 In the year 1st April 2005 to 31st March 2006 the number of children's plans for adoption increased by 10 compared with the previous twelve months and the number of children placed for adoption rose slightly by 6 from the figure of the previous year.
2.9 The number of adoption orders fell significantly by 24 from the previous year. This was as a result of the lower numbers of children placed for adoption in the previous year.
2.10 The number of domestic adoptive parents approved also decreased by 16 from the previous year.
2.11 Inter Country adoption matters are managed by Parents and Children Together (PACT) within a Service Level Agreement. PACT are also members of the Adoption Consortium to which Hampshire belongs.
2.12 Tables one and two below give comparative information about activity in the service and a breakdown of age ranges of children with adoption plans agreed.
TABLE 1
Comparative summary of Panel Activity 1st April 2005 - 31st March 2006
2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006
Children's
Plans 72 78 52 62
Approved
Adopters 37 38 58 42
Children
Placed 49 81 49 55
Adoption Orders
Made 39 51 70 46
Table Two Children's Adoption Plans Agreed
Age Range of Children
0-12 months 12-24 months 2-5 years 6-9 years 10+ Total
19 16 21 5 1 62
2.13 There are 7 children from previous years who are currently not in an adoptive placement. 2 of these children are siblings a female aged 10 years and her brother aged 8 years whose adoptive placement disrupted earlier in the year. Another female child of 9 years was found an adoptive placement but this disrupted during introductions. Reassessments are being undertaken on these children's needs. With regard to the other 4 children: a male aged 8 years, another male aged 6 years and 2 siblings a male aged 6 years and a female aged 4 years reassessments of the children's needs have been carried out and alternative plans of long-term fostering have been identified. These children's plans for adoption will be being presented to adoption panel in the coming weeks for those adoption plans to be rescinded.
2.14 From the year 1st April 2005 to 31st March 2006 there are currently 24 children awaiting an adoptive placement. Of these 24 children the majority have had prospective adoptive placements identified and these linkings will be presented to adoption panels within the forthcoming weeks for consideration. There is however one sibling group of 3 - a male aged 7 years, a female aged 4 years and a male of 2 years who are still within care proceedings and also a single male child aged 2 years with considerable special needs whose plan is to change from adoption to Special guardianship with his current foster carer.
2.15 The Adoption Service is currently involved in providing a range of services to all parties involved in the adoption process. These services include: supporting 31 adoptive families and their children (working with complex family dynamics and children with difficult behaviours), assisting 22 birth relatives who wished to make contact with an adult who was adopted as a child, counselling 16 adopted people and birth relatives, counselling 38 adopted people who wish to trace their birth relatives, accessing information from Hampshire's Records in 25 cases to enable adopted people who now live elsewhere to trace their backgrounds and families, facilitating indirect contact through the Hampshire confidential information exchange and running workshops throughout the year.
2.16 The Hampshire confidential information exchange service supports adoptive and birth families who wish to participate in this `letter-box' system. The system currently deals with some 301 adoptive families (representing 380 children) who regularly exchange a combination of letters, cards and photographs with birth family members. The number of families forming part of the exchange is likely to continue to rise, as it has continually done since it was established in 1994.
2.17 Three workshops were run by the Post-adoption team throughout the year , helping adoptive families to explain adoption to their children and advising adopted adults and birth relatives who are considering a reunion. 83 people attended the workshops.
2.18 The Service also benefits from the partnership agreement with Adoption UK which was signed in February 2005 and which offers a range of support to Hampshire adopters with a regular newsletter and 4 support groups running across the county. Adoption UK will also provide annual events for adopters and their children, as required by new Regulations. Hampshire Children's Services pay one year's membership to Adoption UK for all its newly approved adopters.
2 Future Developments
3.1 The inspection carried out by the Commission for Social Care Inspection concluded that the service performs well in a number of areas and made 8 statutory recommendations and 33 good practice recommendations. These were presented with a preliminary action plan, to Policy Review Committee and the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services in March 2006.
3.2 Significant progress has been made in carrying out the recommendations, and this will continue to be the focus of the service's attention in the coming year, building on a solid foundation of good quality work within the adoption service.
4 Conclusions
4.1 An updated action plan has been developed and approved by the senior management team and is contained at Appendix one of this report.
4.2 Continued improvement will be supported by the recruitment of staff to new posts considered by Policy Review Committee on 17 January 2006 and approved by the Executive Member for Children's Services on 19 January 2006. This will result in the Adoption support team doubling in size.
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 Additional funding has been identified in order to develop some services resulting from the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. These were considered by Policy Review Committee on 17 January 2006 and approved by The Executive Lead Member for Children's Services on 19 January 2006.
6.2 Additional developments have been, or will be, funded by the realignment of budgets 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. Action has been taken to address these shortfalls, as detailed in Appendix One.
9 Crime prevention issues
None
10 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.
11 Recommendations
It is recommended that the Executive Lead Member for children's Services:
11.1 Notes the contents of the report which provides key information about activity within the Adoption Service provided by Hampshire County Council in the last year.
11.2 Notes progress in respect of the action plan resulting from the inspection carried out by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in December 2005, and presented to Policy Review Committee and the Executive Lead Member on 14 March 2006.
11.3 Approves the Statement of Purpose of the Hampshire Adoption Service.
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ADOPTION SERVICE
Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? N/A
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. |
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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. Update: All teams have nominated one team member to take the lead in child protection matters, to provide updates to team members and keep teams informed about good practice developments Training dates to be set for Autumn 06 and Spring 07 | ||
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. Update: This practice has now started | ||
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. Completed | ||
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. Update: All HR files have been audited and notification sent to each member of staff and their manager to inform them of outstanding information on file. Final date for completion, 23 June 2006 | ||
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. Update: Amended Statement of Purpose attached as an addendum to this report. | ||
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. Update; No new additional posts have been advertised pending approval of the workforce plan.. | ||
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 practice across the service. Update: In addition to the development day referred to above, staff are being regularly updated and consulted by senior managers about changes in the new Department. Elected members have met with staff from the service in order to listen to their concerns, and this resulted in improvements to working conditions. Staff were also enabled and encouraged to participate in the recent MORI staff survey. | ||
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. Update: A working group is meeting and due to report by the end of summer. A recruitment and marketing post is due to be advertised on a permanent basis. A recruitment budget has been identified in order to support this work. | |
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. Update: this work is due to take place towards the end of the year and will be carried out as part of an overall race and equalities impact assessment of the service. | |
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. Update: This has already been implemented. Further improvements are likely following the re-organisation f the Department in the coming year. | |
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. Update: This issue is already being taken seriously be staff and will benefit further from the overall equalities impact assessment of the service. | |
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. Update: A working group has already been established to update practice guidance and ensure that specialist input is available where required. | |
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. Update: This work is programmed for later in the year as referred to in recommendations 4 and 2. | |
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. Update: The training and preparation of prospective adopters has now been updated and is taking place within prescribed timescales in most cases | |
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 `Sure Start' 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. Update: All prospective adopters who lack childcare experience are now offered the opportunity to spend time caring for other peoples children alongside Sure Start staff Arrangements have been put in place to collate feedback from prospective adopters so that preparation training can be adjusted in accordance with feedback. | |
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. Update: Two possible sources of Adult Attachment training have been identified and arrangements made to assess the effectiveness of such training, in conjunction with a neighbouring local authority. Decisions about the degree to which this practice is implemented will rely on the necessary funding being identified. | |
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. Update: This piece of work will be carried out towards the end of 2006/bginning of 2007. | |
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. Update: A full programme of training was delivered to staff across the County during the first 3 months of 2006, which included emphasis on the linking and matching of children with prospective 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. Update: Annual appraisals have been finalised and all panel members who attended recent training (17 May 2006) participated in developing the format. Panel members have been re-issued with guidance on `conflicts of interest'. Two new dedicated independent chairs of panels have been appointed. | |
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. Update: At the recent training day to which all panel members were invited, a range of measures were agreed for ensuring that panel members would be regularly and appropriately updated on the progress of cases and any practice issues arising. | |
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. Update: A multi disciplinary group has met regularly to monitor the ability of the Department to comply with the new Adoption and Children Act requirement, since it came into force in December 2005s. It has been identified that there are difficulties at present, in meeting timescales required under the new Act, and in providing staff with the required level of experience and qualification to undertake adoption work. This matter is currently receiving the attention of the Senior Management team where a number of measures are being considered pending the re-organisation of the Department. | |
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 practice. Update: This has taken place already and will be a half yearly report to panels via the Policy and Practice forum which meets quarterly. | |
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 practice 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) Update: This practice is already in place. | |
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. Update: No new posts have yet been advertised pending approval of the workforce plan. The demand or Community therapists time continues to exceed availability. | |
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. Update: A strategy to involve service users in developing improved communication is a priority area for the new recruitment and marketing officer. | |
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. Update: A further contract is being agreed with Adoption UK to provide additional support services to adopters post-approval. Information about this additional service will be distributed to all staff. | |
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. Update: A meeting has been set up to take place in July and at regular intervals thereafter. | |
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. Update: Following preliminary explorations with local, established counselling and support agencies, it has been decided that a contract tendering process should be undertaken to identify likely interested service providers who can meet the needs of birth families as well as comply with Regulations for Registration as an Adoption Support Service provider. This is likely to take place in January or February 2007 | |
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 department has agreed the funding of additional qualified Social Work hours in order to ensure that this element of the service is fully developed. Update: This post has not yet been advertised due to the workforce plan not being approved. | |
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. Update: A programme of work ha been mapped out and is on target. | |
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. Update: Following the new Adoption and Children Act and an unprecedented increase in the number of step-parent adoption assessments being required by the courts, priority has been given to this work being undertaken by staff in the Adoption team. | |
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. Update: This proposed new role is to be revisited in light of the re-organisation of the Department and the possibility of greater priorities being identified following the Adoption and Children Act 2002 coming in to force. Training and preparation of prospective adopters, plus specialised `family finding' may be considered a higher priority | |
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. Update: The professional adviser has recently supported the adoption team manager during a period of sick leave. This has led to some improved practice and understanding of both roles, and consideration being given to exchanges of roles in the future. | |
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. Update: These purchases have now been made. | |
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. Update; This practise has now been established. | |
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. Update: Records management staff have attended each team meeting to reinforce departmental policy | |
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. Update: To ensure that this is regularly monitored through file auditing. | |
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. Update: To ensure that this is regularly monitored through file auditing. | |
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. Update; This work has now been carried out. | |
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. Update: This work is underway | |
Hampshire Adoption Agency Statement of Purpose Appendix B
Aims and Objectives
To ensure that children who are unable to remain safely with their birth parents, are found suitable and permanent families who are able to meet their social, emotional and educational needs, and care for them for the duration of their childhood and into adulthood.
Hampshire County Council is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, and where it is consistent with the child's safety and welfare, children are permanently placed within their own extended family or kinship networks.
Children will be placed with siblings unless there is independent evidence that to do so would be detrimental to a child's welfare.
All children are respected as individuals and valued, so that the effects of racism and disability are countered and minimised.
In order to achieve good outcomes for children, the Adoption Service provides:
_ A Recruitment and Assessment Service to ensure that prospective adopters are trained, prepared, and supported to provide safe and happy homes for children.
_ An advisory service, which oversees the recruitment, training, management and administration of adoption panels.
_ A permanence service, which manages and tracks the plans of all children who cannot return home, to ensure that good quality permanent plans are made as quickly as possible.
_ An adoption support service to support children and adults throughout the adoption process and into adulthood.
Management Arrangements and Structure of the Service
The structure and location of the adoption and permanence staff are shown on the chart which is attached to this Statement of Purpose.
The Adoption Recruitment team and Adoption Support Team and advisory service, are based at a central location and cover the whole of Hampshire.
The permanence teams are based in three sites across Hampshire, one in each of the organisations districts. The personnel and address are detailed in the structure chart at the end of this Statement of Purpose.
The Operational Service Manager is Karen Parkinson, who is based at Havant area office, Town End House, East Street, Havant, Hampshire PO9 1UB. She is a qualified Social Worker, with an Honours Degree in Social Sciences and a Masters Degree in Business Administration. She has been qualified and practising as a social worker since 1977. She is Registered with the General Social Care Council.
The five team managers identified on the staff chart, and the Adoption Adviser, are all qualified Social Workers each with a minimum of six years post qualifying experience.
There are 48 staff employed in the service. 40 staff are qualified Social Workers, and 5 are unqualified, experienced Social Services Assistants. A further three are employed as Community based therapists with a range of therapeutic skills and qualifications.
All qualified Social Work staff and managers are registered with the General Social Care Council.
Staff teams are supported by dedicated administrative staff.
Recruiting, preparing, assessing, approving and supporting prospective adopters and approved adopters.
An information pack is provided to all people who enquire about adoption, broadly outlining the recruitment and assessment process, and the support services available. As applicants proceed through the process, more detailed information is provided at each step along the way.
The pack is available on request from the Adoption Recruitment Team, Hamble Cottage, Glen Road, Swanwick, SO31 7HD, or by telephoning 01489 587000.
In addition, all procedures are available to the public on the Hampshire County Council website, including the above procedures and details of financial and other supports available to adopters.
Inter Country adopters are prepared, assessed and approved on behalf of Hampshire County Council, by a Voluntary Adoption Agency called `Parents and Children Together ( PACT). They can be contacted directly at 7, Southern Court, South Street, Reading RG1 4QS.
Monitoring and Evaluating the Service
A report of adoption and permanence activity is presented annually to elected members through the Social Care Policy Review Committee which scrutinises and comments on all elements of the service. Formal approval of the Statement of Purpose is given by the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services.
This Statement of Purpose was last considered by Social Care Policy Review Committee on 13 July 2005 and approved by the Executive Member for Children's Services on 15 July 2005.
In addition, the progress of each child's care plan is monitored by a group of managers each month, as is the progress of each assessment of applicant adopters.
Senior managers in the Children's Services Department are presented with a quarterly report which focuses in detail on different performance aspects of the services.
In addition there are four Adoption Panels in Hampshire which regularly scrutinise individual cases, as well as receiving overview reports summarising evaluation and feedback from service users and staff.
Panel members also regularly receive minutes of the County's policy and practice review meetings, which they are also invited to attend.
Complaints
Hampshire County Council Children's Services Department has a complaints procedure which is available to all service users. Complaints are made, in the first instance to the social worker or team manager, and should they remain unresolved, can pass to the complaints officer who is responsible for ensuring that any complaint is dealt with to the standards required by law.
All service users are made aware of the complaints process and children are issued with their own "Children's Guide to Adoption", which contains information about how to complain.
In addition, complaints or representatives can be made to:
The Commission for Social Care Inspection,
The Coach House,
John Comyn Drive,
Perdiswell Park,
Droitwich Road,
Worcester WR3 7NW
Tel: 01905 753910
Fax: 01905 753956
HAMPSHIRE ADOPTION SERVICE | ||
Karen Parkinson - SERVICE MANAGER ( Operational) Havant Area Office | ||
County Adoption Team Hamble Cottage Team Manager Senior Practitioner Kate Wilkie |
Team Manager-Sally Magee | |
Adoption Team Libby Wallis Lesley Riley Teresa Aldridge Marianne Smith Maggie Rance Amanda Dingwall Jane Embling Tess Lee |
Welfare Supervision Social Workers Viv Smith ( Romsey SS ) Kathy Dent ( Alton FC ) Sarah Woods (Hamble Cottage) |
Adoption Support Social Workers Jonquil Mitchell Graham Humphries Faith Allen Donna Martin Jackie Richmond |
Support Staff Thelma Hampson Eileen Bartlett Debbie Jevons Beverley Siddle |
Adoption Advisor Liane McDonald Kimberley Douglas( Panel Minute Taker) |
Support Staff Janice Crowfoot ( Panel Administrator ) Maureen Dickie Andrea White Margaret Penney |
Havant Area Office Town End House East Street Havant PO9 1UB Tel: 02392 471644 Fax: 02392 498959 |
County Adoption Team Hamble Cottage Glen Road Swanwick SO31 7HD Tel: 01489 587000 Fax: 01489 587015 |
County Adoption Service Glen House Glen Road Swanwick SO31 7HD Tel: 01489 587543 Fax: 01489 575594 |
Strategic Service Manager - Sue Kocaman, Trafalgar House, Winchester SO23 8UQ Tel: 01962 847173
COUNTY PERMANENCE SERVICE | ||
KAREN PARKINSON - SERVICE MANAGER HAVANT AREA OFFICE | ||
North District Team Manager Shirley Elliott Hockliffe |
South East District Team Manager Cherry Evans |
South West District Team Manager Kaye Robinson |
Senior Practitioner Hazel Chapman Ian Smithers Ros Horncastle Barbara Horton Jacky McCoughlan Jane Harding Rosanne Wickham Jo Freeman Maggie Barrand Sian Miller Admin Support Denise Cursons Janet Arnold |
Senior Practitioner Sandra Stanbrook Chris Vickers Debbie Grey Rita Harrison-Roach Judy Poole Eimear Coffey Freda Brunton Margaret Chamberlain Barbara Kay Admin Support Christine Stray |
Senior Practitioner Jenny Symington Baljinder Kenth Denise Amery Liz Edwards Carol Kloss Sue Andrews Andy White Sylvia Pepin Susan Harrington Admin Support Wendy Lee Jane Barrow |
Hockliffe House 14 The Grove Aldershot Hampshire GU11 1NL Tel: 01252 320624 Fax: 01252 315022 |
Havant Area Office Town End House PO Box 61 East Street Havant PO9 1UB Tel: 023 9247 1644 Fax: 023 9249 8959 |
Hythe Area Office West Shore House West Street Hythe SO45 6AA Tel: 023 8084 6953 Fax: 023 8084 0270 |
Strategic Service Manager: Sue Kocaman, Trafalgar House, Winchester SO23 8UQ Tel: 01962 847263
Community Therapists:
Elayna Truslove Sarah Williams Beverley Price
Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers
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