Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to provide general information about Brent’s Adoption Service and to update the Executive following the Ofsted inspection in February 2012 and Department for Education (DfE) Diagnostic assessment in July 2012. The inspection and the DFE diagnostic assessment recognised the good work being undertaken by the Brent Adoption team, particularly the support to children and families, whilst at the same time acknowledging the historic concerns around timeliness of adoptive placements, which have now been robustly addressed.

that the contents of the report and of the Action Plan contained in Appendix A to the report from the Director of Children and Families.

The purpose of the report from the Director of Children and Families was to provide general information about Brent’s Adoption Service and to update members following the Ofsted inspection in February 2012 and Department for Education (DfE) Diagnostic assessment in July 2012. Councillor Arnold (Lead Member, Children and Families) reminded the Executive that following the Ofsted inspection, two judgement areas were judged to be good and two adequate. The overall judgement was adequate. Councillor Arnold drew attention to arrangements now in place to address the concerns regarding the timeliness of adoptive placements including the appointment of a head of service, improved tracking and increased recruitment activity. She was pleased to report that the adoption figures for 2012 indicated improvements in the timeliness of children going through the system and onto adoption, to now being above the national average.

RESOLVED:

that the contents of the report and of the Action Plan contained in Appendix A to the report from the Director of Children and Families be noted.