Agenda item

The Panel welcomed Paula Gibbons, Head of Adopt Coast to Coast, Barbara Arbon, Adoption Team Manager and Robbie and Steven, adoptive parents.  The Panel considered the Annual Report on the Adoption Service for April 2020 to March 2021 (for copy see file). 

Robbie and Steven introduced themselves to the Panel, having been invited to speak to the Panel about their fostering to adoption journey which began in December 2019.  The parents informed the Panel that their journey began when they attended an informal information event which led to an initial assessment in January 2020. The onset of the pandemic did not hamper their plans and they attended a virtual training session just before the first national lockdown. Following the completion of the application they were introduced to their allocated social worker who provided support throughout the process. To their delight, they successfully gained approval and they were placed with a baby boy the following day.  The formal adoption process was completed in July 2021 and the parents expressed their thanks to the team for enabling their family.

The Vice-Chair thanked the parents for their comments and asked them what attracted them to Durham’s service.  The parents replied that they were keen to adopt outside of their local area and they chose to approach Durham based upon recommendations from friends who had been through the process.  In response to a question about the support they had received, the parents said the support had been excellent and they could not find fault.

They gave thanks to their allocated social worker, Clare Bewley, for all her support.  They commented that the application process had been lengthy, however, they acknowledged that the process is robust for good reason. 

Suggesting improvements, the parents said they would have found an online process for tracking their journey helpful, in order to check what stage their application had reached and what the next steps were. The parents confirmed that they attended the training provided by the young people of the Children in Care Council as part of their fostering/adoption journey.

Councillor Miller asked the parents if they could identify any part of the process which should be changed or improved.  The parents responded that the most difficult part of the process was having the courage to make the first contact to register their interest.  They added that as much as they were keen to convince Durham that they were good prospective adopters, they also needed the adoption service to sell itself to them, to provide them with assurance that they had chosen the right adoption service.  They also highlighted that it is daunting to invite professionals into your home to scrutinise your lifestyle, however, it is an essential part of the process and whereas it is often the only time that prospective adopters will go through the process, social workers may forget from time to time how overwhelming the process can be.  The parents commented that when the home visit took place, they were provided with peace of mind and were assured that they had made the right decision in choosing Durham.

The Head of Adopt Coast to Coast thanked the parents for their positive comments adding that the parents are a great asset to the Adopt Coast to Coast marketing campaign. She commended Durham’s Adoption team who had worked hard throughout their busy year, approving 41 adopters.  Whilst staff quickly adapted to virtual working, the increased workload brought the new challenge to maintain that high level of service.  She concluded by thanking the Team Manager, Barbara Arbon and the marketing team who had played a huge part in the success over the past year.

The Panel noted that representatives are being sought for the Adoption Panel. The Adoption Team Manager explained that Adoption Panels comprise of independent members, social work professionals, medical representatives and elected members. Their role is to consider adoption assessments for approval, and, to match children and young people who are planned for adoption with approved adopters. Panel meetings are held fortnightly, on Wednesday mornings.  Members interested in joining the Panel were invited to contact Barbara Arbon for further information.

The Head of Adopt Coast to Coast then answered questions from the Panel as follows.

The Vice-Chair referred to the Annual Report on recruitment and queried the percentage figure which stated the last two years had remained at 41%. The Head of Service clarified that the percentages were incorrect however the figures were correct, with the number of enquiries decreasing and the number of approvals increasing in 2021.  The Head of Service confirmed that all three spokes of the Regional Adoption Agency had observed an increase in enquiries during the period.

In response to a question from Councillor Miller, the Head of Service confirmed that the process for selection for the adoption panel and the fostering panel is that there is an application form and an interview. 

Councillor Deinali asked whether there are any age ranges that parents prefer to adopt and any ages that are more difficult to place.  The Head of Service replied that the majority of adopters have not had birth children and therefore seek to adopt a younger child.  A great deal of support is provided to encourage adoption across all age ranges and many adopters across the three spokes of the Regional Adoption Agency who have adopted older children, large sibling groups and young people with health or development needs are encouraged to share their experiences through marketing campaigns. This issue is a national challenge and the National Leaders group is striving to maximise the achievement of adoption plans for all, in a timely manner.  The Head of Children’s Social Care added that the Regional Adoption Agency aims to address this issue by pooling resources into one organisation which is capable of operating on a larger scale to enable children and young people to be matched with the most suitable adopter as quickly as possible.

The Chair concluded by thanking the parents for attending the meeting and providing such a valuable insight into their adoption experience.  On behalf of the Panel, she wished the family well for the future.