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:

1.2 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.

1.3 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.

1.4 Approves the Statement of Purpose of the Hampshire Adoption Service.

2 Reason(s)

The adoption agency meets the needs of our most vulnerable children, by enabling them to live in a stable family environment for the remainder of their childhood and into adulthood. 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 None

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 MBE

Executive Lead Member for Children's Services