Agenda item

[To consider the Annual Report of the Adoptions Team]

Louise Haughton presented the Annual Report of the Council’s Adoption Service for the year April 2013 to March 2014. The report included information in relation to adoption both nationally and locally together with information regarding legislative and practice changes and how these had impacted on those affected by adoption in Wolverhampton.

Cllr Paula Brookfield noted the progress that had been made but referred to the “Activity Days” and enquired how children’s expectations were managed. She also enquired as to whether there was provision for concurrent fostering/adoption placements where foster parents were not quite at the stage where they were ready to adopt formally.  Laura Haughton assured the Board that children’s expectations of the outcome of the “activity Days” were handled sensitively and that no child attended more than one event. Careful preparation was also undertaken in advance of attendance. In most instances it was the Foster Carer’s who were more anxious than the children. The longer term implications for those children who were not successful at an event was of greater concern and an issue required careful handling. She confirmed that the Service had a number of concurrent carers and that the marketing of the service included provision for concurrency i.e. fostering prior to progression to adopting.

Cllr Rita Potter enquired if all groups were permitted to apply to become adoptive parents and Louise Haughton confirmed this to be the case. Cllr Martin Waite reminded the Board that this issue had been highlighted during the tenure of Michael Gove as Secretary of State for Education. Louise Haughton reported that trans – national arrangements had always been encouraged in Wolverhampton but that this was not replicated throughout the Country.

The Chair, Cllr Val Gibson, referred to Section 9 of the Annual Report and enquired as to when the further analysis would commence of the over representation of BME children compared to both the looked after children and the population of Wolverhampton as a whole. Louise Haughton explained that the figures fluctuated year on year  and a decrease in the numbers was anticipated during the current year. The Chair, Cllr Val Gibson, requested that an analysis over the past five years be presented. Emma Bennett suggested that the analysis should also include reference to the LAC population.

Cllr Paula Brookfield enquired as to the steps taken as a preventative measure in order to overcome repeat incidences of children from the same parent being taken into care. Louise Haughton outlined the programmes which were available in order to assist parents in making life choices before having a second child and post adoption support which was available to birth mothers. Alison Hinds referred to a successful bid for Lottery funding enabling work to be undertaken with Black Country and Birmingham families. Emma Bennett reported on the associated elements within the newly commissioned Sexual Health Service which was within the remit of the Public Health Service.

Resolved:

1. That the report be received and noted;

2. That the difficulties encountered within the Adoption Service of moving to a paperless system be noted;

3. That an analysis be presented to a future meeting of the over representation of BME children compared to LAC and the population of Wolverhampton as a whole over the past five years together with information pertaining to the LAC population in that period;

4. That the thanks of the Board be offered to the staff in the Adoptions Service for the work undertaken during the period covered by the report.