Adoption To Go Regional

Wednesday, 13 July 2016 07:00

Plans are being put in place for all West Yorkshire's adoption agencies to become one regional body to create a more efficient and cost effective service for families and speed up the process.

A report going to Bradford Council's Executive Committee next Tuesday (19 July) requests delegated authority for the Director of Children's Services to press ahead with plans for a West Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency which would be hosted by Leeds City Council. This would be part of a Yorkshire and Humber adoption hub which would be split into three regional agencies - North and Humber, West and South. The hub is likely to be hosted by Barnardos and the agencies jointly controlled by local authorities and voluntary agencies.

The change is coming about following the Government's Education Adoption Act 2016 which calls for adoption services to be regionalised to speed up the adoption process; create a more consistent range of support services for adoptive families; improve adopter recruitment and reduce costs.

It is also hoped that a regional agency will form relationships with voluntary organisations in the region and improve outcomes for children, prospective adopters, adoptive families and birth families.

However, Bradford Council would still make decisions on adoption planning and matching its own children.

Coun Val Slater, Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: "We hope that this new approach to adoption will tackle any inefficiencies in the current process. We do have a good track record in the Bradford district for adoption, so this should further strengthen this and create a centre of excellence for adoption practice and consistent, high quality service for children in our care and adopters."

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