Setting

Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 1 ADOPTION SERVICE

p.1

CV21 3TU

Lead Inspector Rosemary Chapman Announced Inspection 20 th -23 rd November 2006 09:00 Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 2 The Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to:

p.1

CV21 3TU

• Put the people who use social care first • Improve services and stamp out bad practice • Be an expert voice on social care • Practise what we preach in our own organisation

p.2

CV21 3TU

Reader Information Document Purpose Inspection Report Author CSCI Audience General Public Further copies from 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI Internet address www.csci.org.uk Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 3 This is a report of an inspection to assess whether services are meeting the needs of people who use them. The legal basis for conducting inspections is the Care Standards Act 2000 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for this establishment are those for Adoption. They can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or obtained from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

p.2

CV21 3TU

Every Child Matters, outlined the government’s vision for children’s services and formed the basis of the Children Act 2004. It provides a framework for inspection so that children’s services should be judged on their contribution to the outcomes considered essential to wellbeing in childhood and later life. Those outcomes are: • Being healthy • Staying safe • Enjoying and achieving • Making a contribution; and • Achieving economic wellbeing.

p.3

CV21 3TU

In response, the Commission for Social Care Inspection has re-ordered the national minimum standards for children’s services under the five outcomes, for reporting purposes. A further section has been created under ‘Management’ to cover those issues that will potentially impact on all the outcomes above.

p.3

CV21 3TU

Copies of Every Child Matters and The Children Act 2004 are available from The Stationery Office as above. This report is a public document. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the prior permission of the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 4

p.3

Name of service

Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service

p.4

Name of service

Address Faraday Hall Lower Hill Morton Road Rugby Warwickshire CV21 3TU

p.4

manager (if applicable)

Type of registration Local Auth Adoption Service Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 5

p.4

Conditions of registration: N/A

Date of last inspection November 2003 and 31 st October 2005 (follow up)

p.5

Brief Description of the Service:

Warwickshire County Council’s adoption service is based at Faraday Hall in Rugby. There are 7.5 full time equivalent social worker posts and 1.5 team managers who undertake the whole range of adoption work. The nominated manager for the service is the Principal Operations Manager, who has recently been promoted to Assistant Head of Service in the Children in Need division.

p.5

Brief Description of the Service:

a. Places children for whom adoption is the plan, with suitable adoptive families

p.5

Brief Description of the Service:

b. Recruits, prepares, assesses and approves adoptive families, including those who wish to adopt from overseas

p.5

Brief Description of the Service:

c. Provides and commissions a range of support services to adoptive families, birth families and adoptive children

p.5

Brief Description of the Service:

d. Provides and commissions counselling, information and advice to birth families and adopted adults, including birth records counselling.

p.5

Brief Description of the Service:

e. Undertakes non-agency adoptions Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 6

p.5

SUMMARY

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

p.6

SUMMARY

This is the second inspection of the adoption service provided by Warwickshire County Council. Questionnaires were received from 12 prospective and approved adopters, 5 placing social workers, 3 placing Authorities, 1 birth family member and 2 specialist advisers. An inspection of the fostering service took place at the same time and some of the interviews were undertaken jointly with the fostering inspector.

p.6

SUMMARY

Two inspectors spent a total of 6 days in the agency and interviewed:

p.6

SUMMARY

The team leaders Administrative staff The elected member with portfolio responsibility for looked after children The nominated manager Placing social workers Independent Reviewing Officer The Agency Decision Maker Adoption team social workers

p.6

SUMMARY

Four adoptive families were selected to be case tracked and this involved reading their files, the files of the children placed with them and a home interview. One family receiving adoption support was also case tracked.

p.6

SUMMARY

In addition, the adoption panel was observed, the chairperson was interviewed and a selection of files, including personnel files (undertaken by the fostering inspector), adopters’ and children’s files were read during the course of the inspection. Other supporting documentary evidence, including policies and procedures were read and the premises and archive storage were inspected.

p.6

SUMMARY

The inspectors would like to thank the managers and staff for their cooperation during the inspection and the hard work which they put in when organising the inspection programme for the joint inspection. The openness and helpfulness of staff at all levels enabled the inspection to be carried out efficiently and effectively.

p.6

What the service does well:

The service identifies children who may need an adoptive placement at an early stage. Their preparation, assessment and approval of adoptive families is thorough and includes robust safeguarding checks. Placing social workers describe the written assessments as “balanced and thorough” and the adoption social workers as having “a high level of expertise” and being “child-focussed”. Adopters speak highly of their social workers, describing them as “excellent and extremely supportive” “on the ball” and the whole process being Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 7 “thoroughly professional and thorough”. The quality of written information provided to adopters is also good, including the initial information and post approval pack.

p.6

What the service does well:

Other Local Authorities who have placed children with Warwickshire adopters have commented that they provide “a professional service”, they “are confident about Warwickshire” and working relationships, including communication, is good which promotes successful outcomes for children.

p.7

What the service does well:

There is a range of support services available to adopters and their children up to and post adoption order, including workshops, specialist training, support groups and individual help.

p.7

What the service does well:

Work with birth parents includes an independent service for counselling and support and there was evidence that social workers make every effort to engage them in the process and obtain their views.

p.7

What the service does well:

The agency is well managed and there are good monitoring systems in place. Staff are appropriately trained and supported by good managers. Staff are committed and well thought of by the adopters. There is a good standard of record keeping which supports the good practice that is undertaken.

p.7

What has improved since the last inspection?

The services to birth parents have improved since the last inspection and the agency now has a service level agreement with a Voluntary Adoption Agency to provide an independent support and counselling service.

p.7

What has improved since the last inspection?

The files on panel members and staff personnel have improved and now meet the requirements.

p.7

What they could do better:

Applicants who wish to adopt from overseas may have a long wait for their home study. Applicants for domestic adoptions may also wait a long time before they are allocated a place on preparation training.

p.7

What they could do better:

The agency should develop a more strategic approach to the provision of post adoption support and consider how it manages requests for assessments for this service to ensure the best outcomes for adopters and their families.

p.7

What they could do better:

The letterbox system needs to be reviewed.

p.7

What they could do better:

Life story work with children is variable and the agency needs to give this more priority to ensure consistently good standards. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 8 In order to maintain its good standards, the agency needs to review its staffing resources and further develop services to include more joint working with placing social workers, life appreciation days and other innovative pieces of work. Minor improvements to recordkeeping such as evidence of supervisors’ decisions on files and file audits are recommended.

p.7

What they could do better:

Please contact the provider for advice of actions taken in response to this inspection. The report of this inspection is available from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by contacting your local CSCI office. The summary of this inspection report can be made available in other formats on request. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 9

p.8

CONTENTS

Being Healthy - There are no NMS that map to this outcome

p.9

CONTENTS

Achieving Economic Wellbeing - There are no NMS that map to this outcome

p.9

CONTENTS

Statutory Requirements identified during the inspection Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 10

p.9

The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• The agency matches children with adopters (NMS 2) • The agency assesses and prepares adopters (NMS 4) • Adoptors are given information about matching (NMS 5) • The functions of the adoption panel are as specified (NMS 10) • The constitution and membership of adoption panels are as specified (NMS 11) • Adoption panels are timely (NMS 12) • Adoption agency decision is made without delay and appropriately (NMS 13) • The manager is suitable to carry on or manage an adoption agency (NMS 15) • Staff are suitable to work with children (NMS 19) • The agency has a robust complaints procedure (NMS 24 Voluntary Adoption Agency only) • The agency safeguards and promotes the welfare of its service users (NMS 32)

p.10

The Commission considers Standards 2, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 19, 24

and 32 the key standards to be inspected.

p.10

JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The agency prepares, assesses and approves adoptive families thoroughly, which promotes the making of safe placements for children.

p.10

EVIDENCE:

The agency has sufficient adopters to meet the needs of local children. Where children are more difficult to place, it is able to access the Consortium or advertise nationally for suitable families, but most children are placed within the County. There appears to be little need to have strong recruitment campaigns as the agency has many applicants who wish to adopt. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 11 However, it does have occasional campaigns for specific types of families and can access advice about how best to undertake this.

p.10

EVIDENCE:

There are good systems in place for identifying children who may need an adoptive family at an early stage. Children are placed with their siblings where this is appropriate and great efforts are made to find families who meet their cultural and ethnicity needs. A Guardian had complimented the agency recently on how hard they had worked to find a suitable ethnic match for a particular child. There is good use made of a “matching matrix” to identify the child’s needs, and risks and vulnerabilities are detailed in a separate report once a family has been identified. Matching meetings are not held at present and it is recommended that this be considered as a means of further strengthening the process.

p.11

EVIDENCE:

Applicants attend an information session, which is followed by an initial interview and a 3-day preparation course, once applicants decide they wish to pursue their application. The material for the course is suitable and there was evidence that it has been thoroughly and recently evaluated and altered where identified. Those wishing to adopt from overseas are now offered the opportunity to attend the preparation courses held by a registered Adoption Support Agency, which specialises in this area. One adopter said: “absolutely first class recruitment and preparation from Warwickshire”. Others have said the preparation groups were “thorough, intense and helpful” and “answered questions I would not have thought of asking and the team were sensitive to people’s feelings”. One adopter commented that the workers were not always open to challenge, however, and their presentation skills were variable. Social

p.11

EVIDENCE:

workers in the adoption team agreed that some were better than others at group presentation skills. Adopters commented that they had a long wait to get on preparation groups, and this was confirmed by the staff and managers.

p.11

EVIDENCE:

There is an assessment agreement, which outlines the expectations and timescales for the home study, and this is good practice. Adopters confirmed they were kept informed of any delays or changes to the agreement. There was evidence of good and robust checks when applicants had lived abroad or had ex partners. A written reference from all employers would strengthen this, as employers are currently only asked for a reference if the applicant works with children. The assessments seen were of a good standard and addressed competencies. Health and safety issues are addressed along with assessments of the safety of pets. Adopters were very happy with their assessing social workers and many commented very positively about them: “approachable and friendly”, “amazing, kind, caring and hugely supportive” and “considerate, informative and professional”.

p.11

EVIDENCE:

Adopters spoken with felt they were well informed about the process post approval and receive a very comprehensive pack of information, including booklets about health, education, financial benefits and managing behaviour. They felt they had enough information about any child being matched with Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 12 them, including the opportunity to speak to foster carers and the medical adviser but one adopter commented that the written information was significantly out of date. The manager felt that this has been addressed by the adoption panel who request that information is updated. Consideration should be given to life appreciation days as an effective way of sharing information with adopters for the benefit of the child, both in the short and longer term. Adopters complete a form to indicate that they will notify the agency of the

p.11

EVIDENCE:

death of their adopted child and to receive updated information about the birth family’s health. They also prepare family books to share with the child.

p.12

EVIDENCE:

The adoption panel has a clear set of policies and procedures, although they need to be amended slightly to reflect that the composition and quoracy of the panel does not have to have social services representatives, but “two social workers with at least three years post qualifying experience” (Reg 3(3)(a) Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005.

p.12

EVIDENCE:

Adopters are invited to attend the adoption panel for approval and although one or two people thought it was intimidating and daunting, most felt they were put at ease and asked appropriate questions. They are given written information about the panel prior to their attendance but it may be useful if photographs and brief resumes of the membership are available for them, perhaps to look at as they wait.

p.12

EVIDENCE:

The panel is properly constituted although there are currently 2 vacancies. The membership includes people with personal experience of adoption, although not an adoptee or birth parent. New members observe panel and undertake an induction, which is recorded in their file. The panel members’ files contained evidence of up to date CRB checks and signed confidentiality statements. There was also evidence of joint training with agency staff on contact and there had also been panel training on the Adoption and Children Act 2002.

p.12

EVIDENCE:

The panel is well organised and held at regular intervals, with the option of holding emergency panels if necessary. There are good checklists in place to assist panel members come to a suitable recommendation, and the adoption panel observed was very child-focussed. Panel members receive their papers in good time. The minutes are produced quickly and state the discussion and recommendation but some of those inspected did not give reasons, but alluded to the reasons in one of the other reports submitted. The reasons should be contained within that minute. Some minutes were briefer than others. The administrative support to the panel is efficiently organised and was said to be “amazing”.

p.12

EVIDENCE:

The agency decision is made in a very timely and considered way. All the papers are read, the agency decision maker holds a discussion with the panel adviser and considers the minutes. There was evidence of written notifications sent out to the appropriate people within the required timescales. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 13 There was evidence that the managers and staff of the agency had been recruited using safe recruitment methods and that they were appropriately qualified, knowledgeable and experienced.

p.12

EVIDENCE:

There are appropriate written policies and procedures in relation to the protection of children, which refer specifically to children placed for adoption. There was evidence that the correct procedures had been followed in relation to an allegation made. Staff confirmed they had undertaken recent training in child protection. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 14

p.13

The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• The adoption agency provides support for adoptive parents (NMS 6) • The agency has access to specialist advisers as appropriate (NMS 18 • Services are tailored to meet the needs of people affected by adoption (NMS 33)

p.14

JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The range of support provided to adoptive families promotes secure and lasting placements.

p.14

EVIDENCE:

Adopters spoken with felt they received good support from social workers, both for the children placed with them and the adoption social workers. One adopter, referring to her social worker, said: “I have a lot of faith in her” and “she is in touch promptly and actions things quickly”. There are very regular visits post placement and the adoption social workers make at least 4 visits in the year following the making of the adoption order. Adopters spoken with were also aware that support could continue as long as they feel they need help and that they can come back and ask for services at any time.

p.14

EVIDENCE:

A number of avenues for support are available for adopters and these include support groups, workshops, family days, newsletters and an out of hours support line. Specialist training such as “The Piece of Cake” training has been made available to some families. There is also a service level agreement with a registered Adoption Support Agency. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 15 However, the agency needs to develop a more strategic approach to adoption support. Currently, requests for assessments for adoption support are dealt with by the children’s teams, although adopters tend to ring their assessing social worker and hope they are still there, rather than use this method. The agency should give consideration to placing the responsibility for these assessments with the adoption team, to ensure that there is a better understanding of the adoption issues and that priority is given to these

p.14

EVIDENCE:

requests. It may also be appropriate to consider having a small number of workers who specifically deal with adoption support.

p.15

EVIDENCE:

There was clear evidence that the messages from the preparation groups and home study in relation to the importance of a child’s history had been listened to and understood and adopters were able to demonstrate an openness and show how they were speaking to their children about their past.

p.15

EVIDENCE:

The agency takes placement disruptions seriously and disruption meetings are always held. The adoption panel receives feedback and lessons are clearly learned and themes highlighted. An independent researcher has been commissioned to undertake an assessment of issues in the disruptions in the last few years.

p.15

EVIDENCE:

The agency has medical and legal advisers who provide advice to the adoption panel as well as staff in the agency. The medical adviser will also see adopters to give them advice and undertakes the medical on children. There is a specialist service called REACCH (recognising and celebrating children’s cultural heritage), which supports social workers in ensuring the needs of children from ethnic communities are met. Warwickshire has a “Sexually Inappropriate Behaviour Service” which provides training and consultancy for staff and direct work with children, friends and family. This is a part of a range of services available to protect children and provide therapy for those who have been abused or are abusing others.

p.15

EVIDENCE:

A service level agreement has been made with the CAMHS service but this is in its early stages and is providing a different service to that provided previously. The manager felt that once it is established, it would be able to provide fast and appropriate help for children who are placed for adoption or have been adopted.

p.15

EVIDENCE:

Warwickshire has the TELAC service which addresses the educational needs of looked after children and staff reported that they were very helpful in assisting children placed for adoption settle into new schools. There is also a booklet for schools, which helps them understand the needs of the adopted child in school. The HELAC service is available to address the health needs of looked after children. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 16

p.15

The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• Birth parents and birth families are involved in adoption plans (NMS 7) • Birth parents and birth families are involved in maintaining the child’s heritage (NMS 8) • The Adoption agency supports birth parents and families (NMS 9) • Service users receive good quality services based on their needs (NMS 34)

p.16

JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The agency involves birth parents in its decision making and promotes the exchange of information in order for them to make a positive contribution throughout their child’s life.

p.16

EVIDENCE:

The agency has developed its services to birth parents since the last inspection. There is now a service level agreement with a Voluntary Adoption Agency to provide an independent counselling and support service. A recent evaluation of the service indicated that there is a good take up rate. The procedures make it clear that the service should be offered to birth parents at all stages of the process and there are clear reminders to social workers of their obligations to do so. Only one questionnaire was received from a birth family member and this indicated that they had been given written information and were told what was happening, given information about support groups and told how to make a complaint. They did not feel that the agency had responded positively to them however, and felt they had not been treated fairly. They did feel that the racial and cultural needs of their family were recognised and that staff were reliable.

p.16

EVIDENCE:

Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 17 A number of children’s permanence reports were seen and these gave a good indication that birth parents’ views and wishes are recorded, in some cases, by the birth parents themselves. There was clear evidence that social workers do all they can to obtain this information and that the adoption panel has a clear role in pursuing this, if the information is not available. A Guardian commented to the Agency that a birth parent had told her she “enjoyed the assessment and intervention” provided by Warwickshire and as such positive comments from birth parents are rare, she felt it was worthy of note.

p.17

EVIDENCE:

Life story work is undertaken but there was mixed evidence about the quality of this. Social workers admitted that they had little time to undertake this important piece of work and the agency needs to give more priority to it, to ensure a consistent service.

p.17

EVIDENCE:

There is a letterbox system in place but this needs to be reviewed and reorganised, with appropriate, designated social work and administrative support, which the agency has already recognised as a need. Currently, no one has responsibility for its operation, and a number of social workers deal with it. Assistance with letter writing is offered, both by social workers in the team and by the independent worker. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 18

p.17

The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• There is a clear written statement of the aims and objectives of the adoption agency and the adoption agency ensures that it meets those aims and objectives (NMS 1) • The agency provides clear written information for prospective adopters (NMS 3) • The manager has skills to carry on or manage the adoption agency (NMS 14) • The adoption agency is managed effectively and efficiently (NMS 16) • The agency is monitored and controlled as specified (NMS 17) • The staff are organised and managed effectively (NMS 20) • The agency has sufficient staff with the right skills / experience (NMS 21) • The agency is a fair and competent employer (NMS 22) • The agency provides training for staff (NMS 23) • Case records for children and prospective / approved adopters are comprehensive and accurate (NMS 25) • The agency provides access to records as appropriate (NMS 26) • The agency’s administrative records processes are appropriate (NMS 27)

p.18

The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• The agency maintains personnel files for members of staff and members of adoption panels (NMS 28) • The premises used by the adoption agency are suitable for purpose (NMS 29) • The adoption agency is financially viable (NMS 30, Voluntary Adoption Agency only) • The adoption agency has robust financial processes (NMS 31)

p.18

JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The agency is well managed at all levels, which promotes the monitoring of the standard of work undertaken and good outcomes for service users. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 19

p.18

EVIDENCE:

There is a statement of purpose which is available to staff and service users. The agency has also developed two Children’s Guides to adoption, one of which is for younger children. These include all the required information and are suitable for children over the age of 4 years old. The manager is thinking of ways to make this accessible to younger children.

p.19

EVIDENCE:

The agency has clear and informative written information, which it sends to people interested in adoption. This includes information for those wishing to adopt from overseas. Adopters spoken with all felt they had received a very positive response when they first contacted the agency and found the duty worker spoken to helpful, informative and sensitive to their needs. One person commented that they were “wonderful, responsive and interested in you”. One couple had been prioritised because of the type of resource they could offer, and had a child placed with them very soon after their approval because of this. The agency is currently looking for adopters willing to talk to potential applicants at the information evenings as this only happens during the preparation groups at present.

p.19

EVIDENCE:

The agency is well managed at all levels. Staff spoke very highly of the nominated manager as well as their team managers. They are appropriately qualified, experienced and knowledgeable and lines of communication and responsibility are clear.

p.19

EVIDENCE:

There are good arrangements for monitoring the work of the agency at all levels, including the executive. The lead member has good oversight and demonstrated an awareness and understanding of the work of the agency and the corporate parenting responsibilities of the Council. She has regular meetings with the managers and there are systems for ensuring written reports are made available at regular intervals. There are good management systems for monitoring which include a number of databases giving information about children, adopters and timescales. There have also been a number of evaluation exercises undertaken, including looking at social workers’ experiences of working with the adoption team, adopters’ experience at panel, and adopters’ experiences of the whole process. The panel adviser and agency decision maker also play an important role in quality assurance.

p.19

EVIDENCE:

The organisation of the adoption team into a central service, which took place about 5 years ago, is effective. The managers operate a workload management system and are able to allocate and prioritise work accordingly. Adopters who were being assessed to adopt from overseas commented that they felt their applications were delayed because of the emphasis on domestic adoption and they had a longer waiting time to be allocated a social worker to undertake Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 20 their home study. Staff reported that they received regular supervision of a good quality and that their training needs are assessed and met where possible.

p.19

EVIDENCE:

The adoption team have developed a tool kit, which assists placing social workers through the process. This is very useful and very good practice. Placing social workers said they had good relationships with the adoption team and felt they could call on them for advice and support.

p.20

EVIDENCE:

The administrative team felt they would benefit from another part time worker and said they were looking at their workloads to see how this could be managed. They said relationships between the social work staff and the administrative team were good and they felt involved in the work. Social workers commented that the administrative support they received was good.

p.20

EVIDENCE:

Although the agency is providing a good service to children and adopters, there may be insufficient staff to carry on the service at the same level. A requirement to provide more staff was made at the last inspection, and staffing has been increased since then, but a further review of staffing resources is required. Inter country adopters are having a long wait for their assessments, applicants for domestic adoption are waiting a long time before they undertake preparation training and the post adoption service needs further strategic development. The County is geographically large and social workers may spend a lot of time travelling to appointments. More staff would enable the service to develop further in terms of links with social workers in relation to matching, undertaking life appreciation days and moving forward to make it an even better service. The adoption team also undertake a large number of non-

p.20

EVIDENCE:

agency adoptions, the timescales for which are determined by the court.

p.20

EVIDENCE:

Staff spoken with felt Warwickshire was a reasonable employer and many staff had worked for the County for some time.

p.20

EVIDENCE:

There is a good standard of record keeping on both adopters’ and children’s files, with clear policies and procedures in relation to the purpose, access and security of records. However, there was no evidence of the decisions of supervisors on the adopters’ case files inspected. Neither was there evidence of a file audit system in place and an index of the contents of a file would be useful in assisting this process.

p.20

EVIDENCE:

The files on panel members were well organised and contained all the required information. Likewise the staff personnel files, inspected by the fostering inspector, were of a good standard.

p.20

EVIDENCE:

The premises are appropriate but do not have access for people with a mobility difficulty as they are on the first floor and there is no lift access. Arrangements are made to accommodate anyone who cannot access the premises, by the use of other resources. The building and IT system are secure and the archives are Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 21 stored in waterproof and fireproof cabinets. There is a disaster recovery plan in place and the safeguarding and backup of electronic records is addressed. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 22

p.20

SCORING OF OUTCOMES

This page summarises the assessment of the extent to which the National Minimum Standards for Adoption have been met and uses the following scale.

p.22

SCORING OF OUTCOMES

4 Standard Exceeded (Commendable) 3 Standard Met (No Shortfalls) 2 Standard Almost Met (Minor Shortfalls) 1 Standard Not Met (Major Shortfalls) “X” in the standard met box denotes standard not assessed on this occasion “N/A” in the standard met box denotes standard not applicable

p.22

SCORING OF OUTCOMES

BEING HEALTHY MAKING A POSITIVE Standard No Score CONTRIBUTION No NMS are mapped to this outcome Standard No Score 7 3 8 2 9 3 34 X

p.22

SCORING OF OUTCOMES

STAYING SAFE ACHIEVING ECONOMIC WELLBEING Standard No Score Standard No Score 2 3 No NMS are mapped to this outcome 4 3 5 3 MANAGEMENT 10 3 Standard No Score 11 3 1 3 12 3 3 3 13 3 14 4 15 3 16 3 19 3 17 3 24 N/A 20 3 32 3 21 2 22 3 ENJOYING AND ACHIEVING Standard No Score 25 3 6 3 26 3 18 3 27 3 33 X 28 3 29 3 30 N/A 31 N/A Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 23 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? NO

p.22

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Voluntary Adoption and the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2003 or Local Authority Adoption Service Regulations 2003 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

p.23

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action 1 AD21 LA Regs 2003 10 The agency must review its staffing resources to ensure it can maintain a good level of service. 01/04/07

p.23

RECOMMENDATIONS

These recommendations relate to National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the Registered Provider/s to consider carrying out.

p.23

RECOMMENDATIONS

No. Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations

p.23

RECOMMENDATIONS

1 AD2 The agency should consider holding matching meetings to strengthen the matching process. 2 AD4 The agency should consider taking up written references from all employers where possible. 3 AD5 The agency should consider holding life appreciation days as an effective way of information sharing about children. 4 AD12 The agency should ensure the adoption panel minutes state the reasons for the recommendation. 5 AD6 The agency should develop a more strategic approach to providing adoption support and consider the arrangements in place for dealing with referrals and the organisation of the team. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 24 6 AD8 The agency should give better priority to life story work to ensure the standard is consistent. 7 AD8 The agency should review the operation of the letterbox system. 8 AD25 The agency should ensure that decisions by supervisors

p.23

RECOMMENDATIONS

are recorded on case files. 9 AD27 The agency should ensure there is evidence of a file audit system for all files and include a file index. Warwickshire County Council Adoption Service DS0000054166.V320517.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 25

p.24

Commission for Social Care Inspection

North West Regional Office 11th Floor West Point 501 Chester Road Old Trafford M16 9HU

p.25

Commission for Social Care Inspection

National Enquiry Line: Telephone: 0845 015 0120 or 0191 233 3323 Textphone: 0845 015 2255 or 0191 233 3588 Email: enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk Web: www.csci.org.uk © This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI

p.25