Issue - meetings

1. That the establishment of the Regional Adoption Agency be approved.

2. That City of Wolverhampton Council’s acceptance that the approval of adopters is a function that will be delegated to the Regional Adoption Agency be approved.

3. That the revised service design, structure and governance of the Regional Adoption Agency as a ‘hosted’ model be approved.

4. That City of Wolverhampton Council be approved as the host authority for the Regional Adoption Agency and that the TUPE transfer of employees into City of Wolverhampton Council to work within the Regional Adoption Agency be approved.

5. That the revised proposed financial model and funding contributions from the four Councils be approved.

6. That the establishment of a Lead Members Regional Adoption Agency Board to enable Lead Members from the four Councils to collectively execute their responsibilities in respect of monitoring outcomes for children in care be approved.

7. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director for Children’s Services, to approve the funding agreement.

Councillor Paul Sweet presented the Establishing the Regional Adoption Agency (Adoption@Heart) as a hosted model in the City of Wolverhampton Council report for approval. The new Regional Adoption Agency would combine the adoption services for the local authority areas of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC), Sandwell MBC, Walsall MBC and City of Wolverhampton Council. All local authorities were expected to deliver

their adoption services through a Regional Adoption Agency by 2020. Funding had been secured from the Department for Education to cover the costs of setting up the new agency.

Resolved:

1. That the establishment of the Regional Adoption Agency be approved.

2. That City of Wolverhampton Council’s acceptance that the approval of adopters is a function that will be delegated to the Regional Adoption Agency be approved.

3. That the revised service design, structure and governance of the Regional Adoption Agency as a ‘hosted’ model be approved.

4. That City of Wolverhampton Council be approved as the host authority for the Regional Adoption Agency and that the TUPE transfer of employees into City of Wolverhampton Council to work within the Regional Adoption Agency be approved.

5. That the revised proposed financial model and funding contributions from the four Councils be approved.

6. That the establishment of a Lead Members Regional Adoption Agency Board to enable Lead Members from the four Councils to collectively execute their responsibilities in respect of monitoring outcomes for children in care be approved.

7. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Director for Children’s Services, to approve the funding agreement.