Agenda item

The appended report is the seventh annual adoption report presented by Aspire Adoption, summarising the work of the agency in the period 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024. It has been written to ensure and provides the Council with an opportunity to satisfy itself that the requirements of the Statutory Adoption Guidance 2013 and the Adoption Minimum Standards 2014 are met.

This report provides a summary of the comprehensive self-evaluation of Aspire Regional Adoption Agency.

·       Aspire were able to recruit adopters for those children who are identified as having characteristics that make them ‘harder to place’ such as sibling groups, those with additional learning and health needs, and older children.

·       The close partner relationships and tracking Aspire undertake with BCP and Dorset means that by the time the Placement Order is made, we will know whether Aspire has suitable adopters or not and can immediately look elsewhere to avoid delay for children.

·       85% of all the children placed for adoption were placed with Aspire adopters.

·       Aspire placed  37 children in early permanence placements meaning children were placed once with a family who was likely to become their permanent family, resulting in less moves and more stability for those children.

·       Aspire have improved the timeliness of the adoption journey for children, performing better than the national average and our statistical neighbours. Which also means minimal delay for those children whose plans are adoption and to be settled in a ‘forever’ family.

·       Aspire have been able to provide support to adopters and Special Guardians via direct support and using the Adoption and Special Guardian Support Fund(ASGSF), meaning less disruptions for adopters and special guardians.

There were 965 applications made to the ASGSF fund in 2023/24 which relates to £730,525.60  of  funding for therapeutic input for those Adoptive and Special Guardian’s within the area.

RESOLVED that: -

Cabinet approved the Aspire Adoption Annual Report and Statement of Purpose.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children, Young People, Education and Skills

Reason

Cabinet is satisfied that the Aspire Statement of Purpose accurately describes the activities that the agency discharges on behalf of BCP Council and the Annual Report satisfies that these activities were discharged to a high standard in the last year.

Portfolio Holder: Children, Young People, Education and Skills

Reason

Cabinet is satisfied that the Aspire Statement of Purpose accurately describes the activities that the agency discharges on behalf of BCP Council and the Annual Report satisfies that these activities were discharged to a high standard in the last year.

The Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Education and Skills presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report was the seventh annual adoption report presented by Aspire Adoption, summarising the work of the agency in the period 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024, and that it had been written to provide the Council with an opportunity to satisfy itself that the requirements of the Statutory Adoption Guidance 2013 and the Adoption Minimum Standards 2014 had been met.

Cabinet was informed that the report provided a summary of the comprehensive self-evaluation of Aspire Regional Adoption Agency: -

·       Aspire were able to recruit adopters for those children who are identified as having characteristics that make them ‘harder to place’ such as sibling groups, those with additional learning and health needs, and older children.

·       The close partner relationships and tracking Aspire undertake with BCP and Dorset means that by the time the Placement Order is made, we will know whether Aspire has suitable adopters or not and can immediately look elsewhere to avoid delay for children.

·       85% of all the children placed for adoption were placed with Aspire adopters.

·       Aspire placed 37 children in early permanence placements meaning children were placed once with a family who was likely to become their permanent family, resulting in less moves and more stability for those children.

·       Aspire have improved the timeliness of the adoption journey for children, performing better than the national average and our statistical neighbours. Which also means minimal delay for those children whose plans are adoption and to be settled in a ‘forever’ family.

·       Aspire have been able to provide support to adopters and Special Guardians via direct support and using the Adoption and Special Guardian Support Fund (ASGSF), meaning less disruptions for adopters and special guardians.

·       There were 965 applications made to the ASGSF fund in 2023/24 which relates to £730,525.60 of funding for therapeutic input for those Adoptive and Special Guardian’s within the area.

The Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People, Education and Skills advised that there was an error within the Annual Report and that Cabinet approval was subject to the overspend stated in paragraph 9.2 being amended to’ £185,000’.

It was noted that there had been some misunderstanding recently around the establishment of a company with the name aspire, this is separate to Aspire Adoption Services and it was agreed earlier this year to close this company, which had remained dormant, down.

It was seen as a positive that there were more people wanting to adopt than children available for adoption and Aspire could therefore provide adopters for other areas.

RESOLVED that: -

Cabinet approved the Aspire Adoption Annual Report and Statement of Purpose.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children, Young People, Education and Skills

Reason

Cabinet is satisfied that the Aspire Statement of Purpose accurately describes the activities that the agency discharges on behalf of BCP Council and the Annual Report satisfies that these activities were discharged to a high standard in the last year.