Issue - meetings

Regionalisation of Adoption - Adoption in Merseyside Final Report

 

 

Meeting: 01/02/2018 - Cabinet (Item 113)

113 Regionalisation of Adoption - Adoption in Merseyside Final Report pdf icon PDF 132 KB

Report of the Head of Children’s Social Care

Minutes:

 

The cabinet considered the report of the Head of Children’s Social Care that sought approval for the creation of a regionalised adoption service across Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral with effect from 1 April 2018.  The regionalisation of the adoption services in the Liverpool City Region was reported as a mandatory requirement set out in the Education and Adoption Act 2016. The four authorities have worked together over the last two years to develop AIM (Adoption in Merseyside) which will be hosted by Knowsley Council with Sefton Council taking on the role of Commissioner on behalf of the other authorities and holding the host to account.

 

Decision Made:

That:

 

(1)          the proposed host model arrangements for  Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral Regional Adoption Agency be agreed:

 

(2)          as host, employees from the other three Councils are seconded into Knowsley from 1 April 2018 be agreed;

 

(3)          the intention for the service to go live on 1 April 2018 be noted; and

 

(4)          delegated authority be granted to the Head of Children’s Social Care in consultation with the Cabinet Member – Children, Schools and safeguarding and the Head of Corporate Services to finalise all financial agreements and other legal documentation as may be required by the Council to implement the transition.

 

Reason for the Decisions:

 

It is a statutory requirement for local authorities to establish a regional approach, as set out in the Education and Adoption Act 2016. 

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

The proposal for the development of a Knowsley, Wirral Sefton and Liverpool RAA was agreed in principle through discussion with the relevant cabinet members in each authority and approved by the Department for Education in early 2016. Since then extensive work has been carried out through the Strategic Board consisting of senior staff from each Local Authority and chaired by the Executive Director (Children) from Knowsley.

 

The Strategic Board considered and tested a number of potential models. It also looked across the regional area to see what routes other regional agencies were starting to develop. It was felt that due to budgetary and time constraints that the preferred approach would be to develop a host model, now with Knowsley as host under the leadership of the Assistant Director for Children Social Care.