The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service Inspection report for la adoption agency

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SC050034 Unique reference number 11 May 2009 Inspection date Paul Clark Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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Westway Aid and Information Centre Address 140 Ladbroke Grove London W10 5ND 020 736 1563 Telephone number

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Email

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Registered person Sue Howard Registered manager Libby Blake Responsible individual 15 May 2006 Date of last inspection .

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Email

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Email

You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 9 Inspection Report: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service,11 May 2009

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Brief description of the service

The adoption service provided by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) is part of the Children's Social Care Service in the Family and Children's Services Business Group. The service is a member of the West London Adoption Consortium (WLAC) which comprises the adoption services from eight London boroughs and two independent adoption agencies. The RBKC team consists of a team manager, senior social worker for adoption support, senior social worker for 'Friends and Family', 6.5 full time equivalent (FTE) social work posts, 1.5 Adoption Support Workers, a social work assistant (current vacancy), a Marketing and Recruitment Officer and a Business Support Officer. All of the team are based in one office, situated at 140 Ladbroke Grove.

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Brief description of the service

The team: recruits, prepares and assesses both domestic and inter country adopters; works with children's social workers to identify matches for looked after children and assist their placement; provides support and counselling for birth parents (both within the team and by contract arrangement with a private agency); and provides a service to adopted adults and adult birth relatives of adopted adults including an intermediary service.

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Brief description of the service

The team manager acts as the Registered Manager of the service and the Director for Family Services acts as the Responsible Individual. The service has been advised that they need to confirm in writing to Ofsted the names of these position holders.

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Summary

This announced inspection was carried out by two inspectors over a five day period. The service complied fully with all inspection enquiries. The views of adopters, social workers and those people involved with, or affected by, adoption were sought. The inspectors found a good quality of service was being provided by a team of well trained and dedicated social workers who were well managed. The Adoption Panel is appropriately constituted and timely and professional in its recommendations. All key policy and procedures documents and statutory and non-statutory records were comprehensive, up to date and well written. Active steps are taken to protect the safety and wellbeing of young people and of other service users. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

All of the recommendations from the Commission for Social Care Inspection's inspection in May 2006 have been met or appropriately responded to.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is not judged. There are no National Minimum Standards for this outcome group.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. 4 of 9 Inspection Report: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service,11 May 2009 A monthly Adoption Panel is independently chaired by a professionally trained person who has many years experience in adoption practice and management. The Panel composition is appropriate and the Panel was seen to observe the council's written protocol, including an adherence to issues of equality and diversity. This was evidenced by a racial and gender balance within the Panel membership. Also, a member of the Panel was a same sex partnership adopter. Two of the Panel members have adopted children who are disabled. One of the Panel members has expertise in educational provision.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The Panel makes well considered recommendations to the Agency Decision Maker about the approval of adopters, the suitability of adoption for young people and the matching of adopters and young people. The Panel was seen to actively debate all assessments and pursued clarifications where necessary. Panel members individual contributions are appraised annually by the Registered Manager and the Panel Chairperson. Their training needs are identified and they receive induction and may access necessary training from the Royal Borough or from the other boroughs within the West London Adoption Consortium and from the British Association of Adoption and Fostering (BAAF). Panel recommendations and decisions made by the agency are timely. These are based upon clearly written and comprehensive social work assessments which are appropriately monitored by line managers. The Registered Manager of the adoption service is professionally qualified and has many years experience in adoption practice and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

management. The social workers in the adoption team are all professionally qualified and have undergone the necessary training to work in the adoption service and to ensure the safety of young people. They are well managed and regularly supervised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service takes appropriate steps to ensure that confidentiality is observed to protect the identity of young people proposed for adoption. All practitioners, adopters and members of adopters' households are appropriately vetted, trained and assessed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Members of the adoption team carry out post adoption support work which includes: offering advice and support to adopters; counselling birth parents and running groups for birth parents; supervising contact between young people and their birth families; coordinating the 'Letterbox' postal communication system between young people and their birth families; and supporting adopted adults seeking their birth parents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service gives adopters free membership to Adoption UK and the Post Adoption Centre (PAC) helpline, both of which are agencies offering ongoing support to people affected by adoption. Birth parents are linked to a contracted agency called Birth Ties, who can supply them with help and information including counselling and group support. Birth parents may also access the PAC helpline.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Adoptive parents are well supported by the adoption service. A £500 'set up grant' is paid to all adopters when a young person is placed, to cover such things as children's toys, equipment and clothing. Foster carers who adopt retain the fostering allowance and the fostering fee until the child is 18. As previously mentioned, the service gives adopters free membership to Adoption UK and the Post Adoption Centre (PAC) helpline, both of which are agencies offering ongoing support to people affected by adoption. Birth parents are linked to a contracted agency called 5 of 9 Inspection Report: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service,11 May 2009 Birth Ties, who can supply them with help and information including counselling and group support.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Adopters can access psychological and psychiatric support via the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The Borough can also access the services of the Virtual Teaching Team, which provides educational support services for looked after children whilst the young person is awaiting the Adoption Order to be made.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are a range of services available to support people affected by adoption. The two Adoption Support Workers in the adoption team provide: leadership of a 'Birth Parents Group'; counselling for birth parents; counselling and extensive preparation support for adopted adults seeking their birth parents; production of an information 'Newsletter'; supervision of contact; administration and support of the 'Letterbox' system. An additional post of social work assistant (yet to be appointed) has been created to support this work.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Birth parents are given a pack of information about the implications of adoption and the range of services available to support them. This is also fully described to them by social workers. They may access ongoing counselling and group work support which is arranged by the Adoption Support Workers and by a service provided by an independent agency which the council has a contract arrangement with. Parents are consulted about the proposed plans for their child's adoption and the ongoing contact arrangements. The cultural and individual needs of young people are well considered and birth parents are consulted about this and all proposals about placements are shared with them. These arrangements are appropriately reviewed by Adoption Support Workers who keep birth parents fully informed at all stages of the process. The arrangements for the support of birth parents is clearly spelt out in the Statement of Purpose.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is not judged. There are no National Minimum Standards for this outcome group.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. This is evidenced by the ethnic and gender balance of the Adoption Panel membership and the inclusion of 'same sex' adopters on the Panel. Also, the service has approved a number of single adopters and 'same sex' adopters. It was noted that the adoption team of practitioners was entirely female and that the service has sought to address this gender imbalance by including in their vacancy advertising that they would particularly welcome applications from male social workers. The 'matching' process for young people with adopters prioritises the ethnic and cultural identity needs of young people. There is evidence that the service has employed the use of interpreters to support deaf people who are affected by adoption.

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Organisation

The Statement of Purpose for the service is comprehensive and provides clear guidance for management, staff and other stakeholders about its constitution and its aims and objectives. It is regularly and appropriately reviewed. The version on the intranet is not up to date. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service,11 May 2009 Clear information is given to prospective adopters about the service. The council website has a page on the adoption service which provides information for interested parties who may also express an interest online. An information package is sent out to all who express an interest in adoption. The service holds two hourly 'Information Meetings' every six weeks where they receive further information and view a DVD about adoption. The service holds an annual four day 'Preparation Group' for interested parties. These groups are also held in the other boroughs

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Organisation

within the West London Adoption Consortium which people from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea may attend. The course provides extensive information and training on adoption.

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Organisation

The Registered Manager has a professional social work qualification and a qualification in management. She is a member of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) and has many years experience in adoption practice and management. Social workers are regularly supervised within recommended frequencies and regular team meetings are held. A Head of Service provides internal monitoring and reports on necessary service improvements are produced.

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Organisation

Social workers in the adoption team are all professionally qualified and have membership of the GSCC. They are all experienced in the area of childcare and have access to a induction and internal training programme to provide them with necessary skills in adoption work. All management and staff produce an annual Personal Development Plan which identifies their training and development needs. The personnel records of all staff and members of the Adoption Panel are comprehensive and up to date and show that their qualifications are appropriate and that their vetting has been in line with the requirements of the National Minimum Standards and regulations.

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Organisation

Social work assessments of adopters are clearly written and of a high quality. The case records of young people are generally comprehensive, clearly written and up to date. The locality social workers in the Royal Borough engage in life story work with young people and a member of the adoption team has been trained in this area of work and may be consulted by locality social workers. The quality of a 'Later Life' letter seen was of a poor quality.

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Organisation

A Disaster Recovery Plan was seen to give management guidance on action to be taken in the event of a civil emergency. The risk assessment for the protection of archive files was also seen and the arrangements for the storage of archive files were seen. This did not contain the arrangements to be taken in the event of water damage.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): 7 of 9 Inspection Report: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service,11 May 2009 • ensure that the quality of 'Later Life' letters is monitored (NMS 20) • ensure that the risk assessment for the protection of archive files contains the arrangements to be taken in the event of water damage (NMS 29) 8 of 9 Inspection Report: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Adoption Service,11 May 2009

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