Setting

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 1 ADOPTION SERVICE

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Lead Inspector Jayne Ivory Announced Inspection 27th November 2006 09:30 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 2 The Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to:

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• 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

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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 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.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

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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.

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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.

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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. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 4

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Name of service

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service

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Name of service

Email address lynn.radley@calderdale.gov.uk

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Name of service

Provider Web address www.calderdale.gov.uk

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manager (if applicable)

Type of registration Local Auth Adoption Service Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 5

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Brief Description of the Service:

Calderdale Council’s adoption service is an integral part of Children and Young People’s Services in the authority. The adoption service provides the following comprehensive range of services pre and post adoption to children, adoptive families, adult adoptees and birth families.

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Brief Description of the Service:

The services provided by the adoption team are:

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Brief Description of the Service:

• Recruitment, preparation training and assessment of prospective adopters • Post approval training for adopters • Family finding for children with a plan for adoption • Matching of approved adopters with children for whom adoption is the plan • Support to adopters post approval and following placement • Support to adoptive families post adoption • Relinquishment counselling to birth parents considering adoption for their child • Support with contact arrangements for adoptive and birth families • Facilitating the post adoption information exchange or letterbox scheme • Assessments for adoption support, including financial support • Calderdale has an agreement with an Adoption Support Agency to provide a range of services including information and advice to adoptees seeking access to their birth records • Independent counselling to non consenting birth parents • Counselling to adoptive families • Training for adoptive families

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Brief Description of the Service:

• Calderdale provides a service to those individuals who are interested in adopting a child from overseas by contracting the preparation and assessment out to a Voluntary Adoption Agency in the area Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 6

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SUMMARY

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

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SUMMARY

The inspection was extremely well prepared for with all required pre-inspection material being forwarded as requested. The agency provided the best facilities available to them and engaged in the process as willing participants. The programme that was arranged was well coordinated and very manageable. This enabled the inspection to be carried out with the minimum of disruption and maximum efficiency.

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SUMMARY

The inspection was carried out over four days, with one extra-day being allocated to the observation of the adoption panel. During the course of the fieldwork interviews were held with key managers and staff. The Independent Panel Chairperson of the adoption panel was also interviewed. An examination of personnel files was undertaken in the offices of Human Resources.

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SUMMARY

Visits were made to four adoptive families. In addition to this the case files of two adoptive families who were in receipt of adoption support services were reviewed. The views of adopters are incorporated into the text of this report. Completed questionnaires were received from adopters/prospective adopters (10), placing social workers (8), and specialist advisers (2).No questionnaires sent to birth families were returned.

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SUMMARY

The case files of the adopters visited were read – and the files of children placed with them. Other case files were also examined. Written materials relating to the operation of the agency were read, including policies and procedures, protocols and information provided for children, prospective and approved adopters and social workers.

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SUMMARY

The inspection also considered the council’s arrangements for adoption support services and interviewed staff involved in the assessment, review and provision of these services. The inspection also took place alongside a full inspection of the fostering and private fostering services in Calderdale. Readers may find it helpful to consider all three reports for a full overview of the Fostering and Adoption and Adoption Support Service to children in the Council.

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What the service does well:

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 7 Calderdale promotes good outcomes for children by ensuring that a high percentage of the looked after children in the council are placed for adoption. In the year 2005-2006 Calderdale were one of the best local authorities in the country for percentages of looked after children placed for adoption.

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What the service does well:

Given the resources that are available to the adoption service and more specifically to the adoption team the numbers of children placed and the quality of the matching of children with adopters who can meet their needs is excellent.

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What the service does well:

There are very few children waiting for adoption placements and this is as a result of a clear focus upon family finding in the adoption team, and close collaborative working across the service.

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What the service does well:

The quality of recruitment, preparation and training for adopters was of a high standard. The adoption and fostering teams share a recruitment and marketing officer post between them. The recruitment and marketing officer is mindful of the differences in fostering and adoption recruitment and is well informed and extremely skilled at delivering general or specific recruitment of families for children.

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What the service does well:

Calderdale has developed some best practice around the preparation and assessment of prospective adopters. The application process was simple and very well defined. The application form for prospective adopters detailed all the information that would be required to progress an application with an explanation. The form ensured that staff and adopters were clear about the range of information required for each individual applicant. This ensured that assessments were based upon the full range of statutory checks and references.

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What the service does well:

Adopters made positive comments about the preparation training, which they had found a helpful resource during the matching and placement process. Adopters confirmed that they had received a professional, thorough and sensitive service from the staff in the adoption team. Typical comments from adopters were; “Our social worker was very professional and got to know us really well.” Another adopter said “…It was a really interesting process, it isn’t often you get to reflect on your own childhood and how it has influenced you as parents. Our social worker was very skilled at identifying our potential as adopters.”

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What the service does well:

Support services in Calderdale were found to be very good for children and their adoptive families. The service has a well-established ASSA role, a dedicated adoption support worker and good multi-agency links to specialist services including the looked after and adopted children’s health service. The close working relationship with the partner adoption support agency adds further opportunities for support for adopted adults, adopters and their children. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 8 The inspection found compelling evidence that the needs of birth parents were considered throughout the service from the point of first contact to the excellent arrangements for post adoption support with a partner adoption support agency.

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What the service does well:

The quality of the service offered by the adoption team given the resources that are available is very high. The small team delivers very well. This is due to the experience, commitment and knowledge of the staff, who are supported by an excellent team manager. The team manager acts as the agency adviser and is valued across the service in this role.

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What the service does well:

The adoption team enjoy good collaborative working relationships with their colleagues in the care planning teams with evidence found throughout the inspection of flexible cross-team, child-focused practice in planning for children.

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What the service does well:

Calderdale benefits from a committed adoption panel. The panel draws from a wide range of professional and personal experience in making their recommendations to the service. The adoption panel also benefits from excellent panel administrative support and a skilled minute taker.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The service has been pro-active in ensuring that the majority of requirements and recommendations have been met from the action plan, which came as a result of the first inspection.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvements in care planning for children were noted, however the need for consistent and early enough referrals into the adoption team for profiling and family finding considerations was something that still needed more work. The service has a children’s guide in place for all children with a plan for adoption. A complaints procedure has been developed and implemented in practice and safety.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The staff have moved into better premises as a result of the previous office base being shut down. Staff also have access to more information technology. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 9

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What they could do better:

Despite the improvements that have already been noted in the care planning, the inspection found that the staff shortages in some of the care planning teams had contributed to unnecessary delay in a small number of cases of children placed for adoption.

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What they could do better:

The service acknowledged that more needed to be done to tighten up on the timescales for ensuring that all children’s assessments were considered in a more timely way by the adoption panel. The role of the Independent Reviewing Officers in triggering a referral to the agency adviser may be one way to ensure earlier involvement of the adoption team in the child’s assessment.

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What they could do better:

The adoption team were, given the size of the team and their prioritisation of family finding, unable to meet timescales for completing adopter’s assessments. Additional resources would benefit this committed and hard working team and would ensure that Calderdale could respond to adults wishing to adopt in a timely way.

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What they could do better:

The service would benefit from enhancing existing tracking and monitoring systems for children’s and adopters assessments. The adoption panel could play a role in scrutinising timescales as part of their considerations.

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What they could do better:

The service should ensure that existing systems for ensuring that business for panel is delivered in a timely way are implemented.

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What they could do better:

The agency decision maker is very committed to their role and has arranged to meet with the new independent panel chairperson on a regular and frequent basis. Agency decisions are made in a timely way as are written notifications. However the service should consider amending the written notifications to ensure that the letters come in the name of the agency decision maker and not the agency adviser.

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What they could do better:

The existing arrangements for the adoption archive are inadequate. Adoption records must be stored in facilities, which are protected from fire and flood. Calderdale’s adoption archive must be moved to a place which protects the adoption records.

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What they could do better:

One of the only outstanding requirements from the first inspection is the need for the service to ensure that safe staff recruitment and selection is evidenced on staff personnel files. Adoption panel member’s files also need to comply with the regulations. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 10 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. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 11

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CONTENTS

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

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CONTENTS

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

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CONTENTS

Statutory Requirements identified during the inspection Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 12

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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)

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

and 32 the key standards to be inspected.

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

Quality in this outcome area is good as the majority of children with a plan for adoption benefit from a service, which is child focused and which safeguards and promotes their welfare throughout the process.

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

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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EVIDENCE:

Calderdale promotes good outcomes for children by ensuring that a high percentage of the looked after children in the council are placed for adoption. In the year 2005-2006 Calderdale were one of the best local authorities in the country for percentages of looked after children placed for adoption. Calderdale experiences many of the challenges that other children’s services have to contend with concerning recruitment and staffing. However the Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 13 commitment of staff and the support of their managers ensures that children with a plan for adoption receive a good service. The adoption service have sound practice concerning family finding and matching children with adoptive families. The service works closely with partners in the regional consortium to ensure that children with a decision to be placed for adoption are placed with the best family for them. As one social

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EVIDENCE:

worker in the care planning team said “ Things have got much better with regard to placement choice. I was surprised when I was planning to place two older siblings for adoption to have a choice in placements.” Another member of staff considered that the adoption team and care planning teams collaborative approach to family finding ensured that “We have confidence in our standards in the adoption team. There is a breadth and depth to our family finding.”

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EVIDENCE:

The low numbers of children waiting for adoption placements and the quality of some of the matching seen during the inspection confirmed this view.

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EVIDENCE:

The service acknowledged that more needed to be done to ensure that all children had a timely plan for adoption, and that systems to notify the adoption team of any children who may require family finding in the future needed to be refined to ensure consistency across the service. The service may benefit from developing a system to send an automatic notification to the agency adviser from the four- month statutory review if the plan for a child is likely to be adoption.

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EVIDENCE:

Some members of staff also expressed reservations about the current structures within the care planning teams as not being conducive to clear permanency planning for children.

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EVIDENCE:

Recruitment and marketing of the adoption service was excellent. The marketing and recruitment officer for the service has an in depth knowledge of the area, and of what works in trying to recruit for specific children. The recruitment and marketing officer liaises closely with the adoption team manager regarding any specific or general recruitment that may be necessary. The team offers six weekly information evenings and undertakes thorough initial screening visits with prospective adopters.

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EVIDENCE:

Adopters are prepared and assessed in a sensitive but thorough way. The quality of preparation training provides adopters with information about the needs of children waiting and supports adopters to develop a more inclusive approach to birth parents and birth families. Prospective adopters from the Asian community can access specific preparation training via the consortium. Adopters that had attended this training had really valued the quality of the training and the content. The service are at the point of establishing practice standards concerning the assessment of adopters who require an experienced adoption social worker with the necessary language skills, rather than relying upon translation services. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 14 Prospective and approved adopters regarded their preparation training as a resource to be reflected upon and used throughout the matching, placement

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EVIDENCE:

and post approval-post adoption process. One adopter said “I really enjoyed the preparation training, although we are experienced carers I think that the training really helped us to understand the adoption process.” Good safeguards were in place, with an excellent application form. This ensured that all prospective adopters were subject to a comprehensive range of references.

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EVIDENCE:

Prospective adopters who wish to adopt a child from overseas are directed to a voluntary adoption agency in the consortium with who Calderdale have a contract for inter-country adoption work.

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EVIDENCE:

The service uses a competency-based approach to assessment and the staff and adopters that were spoken to as part of this inspection felt confident in this approach.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency had recently recruited a new independent adoption panel chairperson. The agency decision maker and panel chairperson have arranged a series of meetings in the coming year to discuss panel performance and to undertake panel member’s appraisals when they fall due in September 2007. The independent panel chairperson and agency adviser were in the process of developing their working relationship.

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EVIDENCE:

The adoption panel benefits from regular training events. Panel members come from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds and are very committed to their roles and responsibilities to the adoption service. The functioning of the adoption panel is supported by clear policies and procedures. Panel minutes were accurate, concise and made clear reasons for recommendations.

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EVIDENCE:

The adoption panel meets in a room without a designated waiting area for applicants who are attending. Prospective adopters are invited to wait in the adoption team room, or to wait outside in the corridor whilst panel is considering their recommendation. The service should consider the identification of a more sympathetic environment for those who choose to attend panel.

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EVIDENCE:

All case files seen provided evidence that the agency decision maker makes their decision on the adoption panel’s recommendations in a timely way. The agency decision maker is committed to their role and ensures that they have an overview of the needs of children and adults being presented at the panel. Given the significance of the decision, the service should consider amending their current written notifications to ensure that the letter comes in the name of the agency decision maker and not the agency adviser. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 15 The manager of the adoption team was suitably qualified and experienced and was considering a further management qualification.

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EVIDENCE:

Staff confirmed that they all benefited from access to a wide range of training including access to specialist training events in the region or country. The adoption team were well represented on regional and national adoption groups and were able to benefit from and contribute to the wider professional adoption community. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 16

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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)

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

Quality in this outcome area is good, given the resources available, the service provides ongoing adoption support and access to specialist services if required to all those touched by adoption.

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

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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EVIDENCE:

The service ensures that all children placed for adoption receive 12 months support from the adoption team worker as standard. The team has a designated adoption support worker who is responsible for running the monthly adoption group, adoption support events and evenings and an annual adoption celebration day for children and families. Although this is the responsibility of one person, there was substantial evidence that the rest of the team play a significant role in the adoption support service. The service sends out newsletters to adoptive families as part of the ongoing adoption support service.

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EVIDENCE:

The adoption support service in Calderdale is integrated into a specialist service called the looked after and adopted children’s health service (LAACH). LAACH provides a service to children and adoptive parents with more complex needs.

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EVIDENCE:

The multi-disciplinary team was an extremely valuable resource to some children and their adoptive parents. However the service should review the Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 17 existing arrangements for ensuring that referrals for assessments for adoption support from families using the LAACH team are made to the appropriate team and or individual. There was some evidence that referrals were being made directly to the adoption support worker without being screened through the initial response team. The managers of the adoption service and the LAACH team had acknowledged this and were in the process of reviewing the current protocols to ensure that no children or families “slipped through the net” or did not get an appropriate assessment for adoption support.

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EVIDENCE:

Adults approaching the service received a good response. Adults who had been adopted received an appropriate and sensitive service and could be referred to the local adoption support agency service.

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EVIDENCE:

Calderdale ensured that the services offered on their behalf to adults seeking adoption support services were regularly reviewed for outcomes and for value for money. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 18

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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)

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

Quality in this outcome area is good based upon the ability of the service to recognise and respond for the need to support birth parents and their families from the outset of their child’s plan for adoption.

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

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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EVIDENCE:

The inspection confirmed that Calderdale’s adoption service is committed to working alongside birth parents throughout the adoption process. Placing social workers efforts to ensure that birth parents wishes and feelings were recorded and available for the adoption panel evidenced this.

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EVIDENCE:

The service had worked hard to ensure that the quality of children’s assessments was of a good standard, and had acknowledged that more needed to be done. Training in the completion of Children’s Permanence Reports had already been delivered, but additional training had been commissioned via the consortium to ensure that there was continuous improvement in this area of work across the service.

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EVIDENCE:

The adoption information exchange or letterbox had been reviewed and now benefited from additional social work oversight. Contact agreements had been reviewed and the service was in the process of developing a robust system to manage this growing area of work. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 19 The adoption and adoption support team played a key role in ensuring that life story work was undertaken and completed in a timely way. There was an expectation that adopters would meet birth parents before the placement of a child and that life story work would be available within the child’s timescale, and shortly after placement.

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EVIDENCE:

The adoption team manager and adoption support team worked hard with their colleagues in the child-care teams to ensure that staff were aware of the need to preserve and maintain a child’s heritage. Child-care team managers and social workers confirmed that they were committed to gathering information at the earliest opportunity. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 20

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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)

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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)

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

Quality in this outcome area is adequate. This judgement was made given that management systems are improving in the adoption service. However, the service needs to ensure that there are sufficient resources available to the adoption and adoption support service to provide good timely outcomes for children and their families.

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

This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 21

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EVIDENCE:

There was a statement of purpose in place that had been reviewed in February 2006 and had been formally approved by the executive of the council. It clearly outlined the aspirations and operations of the agency and was written in an easy to read style. The policies and procedures of the agency, many of which were in the process of being reviewed and revised, supported the statement of purpose and most indications were that the agency operated in line with these. The service had developed an attractive children’s guide for younger children.

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EVIDENCE:

The information provided for prospective applicants is of a very good standard; it gives a clear indication of all the implications and processes of adoption, including profiles of the kind of children requiring placements, and it also specifies the range of people that the agency wishes to recruit. It is a well - presented pack that is welcoming and clearly aimed at providing all relevant information in an accessible and encouraging format.

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EVIDENCE:

The adoption team reported that they were extremely well supported by their manager. There was substantial evidence throughout the inspection that the adoption team manager had made a significant positive contribution to the development of the adoption service in Calderdale since her arrival in post in 2003. The social workers in the adoption team praised her inclusive style and clear operational and strategic thinking. There was evidence in case tracking from adopters who had experienced great difficulty in getting through the assessment process before the current managers arrival that she had resolved outstanding issues and that in their view since the current adoption team manager’s arrival “things had improved significantly”.

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EVIDENCE:

Other managers in the service reported that they were well supported and supervised by their line managers and that if needed that the head of service could be approached to offer support and assistance.

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EVIDENCE:

The inspection found evidence that the adoption team worked well within the wider constraints of the service and that the relationship between the adoption team and placing social workers was very positive. Colleagues in the care planning teams valued the adoption team social workers for the quality of the family finding that they undertook but also for the advice and assistance they offered. One social worker said “ They are always providing statements for court and coming to give evidence about placement choice. They are part of the process.” Other comments concerned the quality of communication between the teams and the flexible approach employed by the staff in the adoption team to support good outcomes for children. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 22 The adoption team were seen to be far more pro-active and involved in an integrated adoption service.

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EVIDENCE:

Given the knowledge and experience in the adoption team and the high standards promoted by the adoption team manager the service have the capacity to be excellent. However given the small numbers of staff in the adoption team the service cannot respond to adopter’s assessments within the prescribed timescales. Adopters who are seen to offer placements for harder to place children are fast tracked, however other potential adopters were advised to wait or to approach other agencies.

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EVIDENCE:

One full time member of staff in the adoption team provided adoption support services. Whilst it is acknowledged that other team members “helped out” wherever possible the sufficiency of this resource would benefit from review. The adoption support social worker provided a good service, and worked closely with colleagues in neighbouring authorities and in the adoption support agency to ensure that adopters and their families had a choice of groups or events to attend. Duplication was avoided wherever possible

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EVIDENCE:

The team manager dealt with the few complaints made against the agency sensitively, efficiently and effectively. Withdrawals and de-registrations were also managed well.

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EVIDENCE:

All staff in the adoption service had accessed training in the Adoption and Children Act 2002. Staff in the adoption team were positive about the training they had participated in the last few years. All team members confirmed that they could attend a range of training, including specialist courses run by experts in the field of adoption and adoption support.

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EVIDENCE:

All staff said that they were familiar with the council’s personal development and annual appraisal system. Staff reported that they received regular professional supervision from the adoption team manager.

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EVIDENCE:

Administrative staff were hardworking and sensitive to the nature of the work of the service.

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EVIDENCE:

The service had ensured that staff in the adoption team were now working in a better and safer environment. The previous offices had been condemned in March 2006 and the team had been asked to vacate their offices immediately. The staff should be commended for carrying on a service in the face of such a major logistical challenge.

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EVIDENCE:

The new premises present some challenges of their own, as there is little space for interviewing people who come to the office. However if the rest of the building is to be occupied by children’s services staff this may be an issue that could be resolved. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 23 Children’s adoption files were of a good standard and contained information for later life. Adopter’s files were excellent. Adopter’s files contained evidence of the work that had been undertaken with prospective adopters and demonstrated a high degree of management involvement and oversight in each case.

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EVIDENCE:

The existing arrangements for the adoption archive are inadequate. Adoption archives are stored securely in a room that is extremely damp and which is liable to flooding. Adoption records must be stored in facilities, which are protected from fire and flood. Calderdale’s adoption archive must be moved to a more suitable place.

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EVIDENCE:

Staff personnel files were examined as part of the inspection. All staff files complied with the national minimum standards and the regulations, however the service may wish to consider making the recording of the telephone verification of written references clearer by having a box on the new starter form.

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EVIDENCE:

Panel members’ files did not contain all the evidence required in the standards and regulation at the time of the inspection, however all outstanding references have now been chased up and the files are now confirmed as satisfactory. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 24

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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.

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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

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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 3 9 3 34 3

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SCORING OF OUTCOMES

STAYING SAFE ACHIEVING ECONOMIC WELLBEING Standard No Score Standard No Score 2 4 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 3 15 3 16 3 19 3 17 3 24 N/A 20 3 32 3 21 1 22 3 ENJOYING AND ACHIEVING Standard No Score 25 1 6 3 26 3 18 3 27 3 33 3 28 1 29 3 30 3 31 3 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 25 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection?

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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.

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action 1 AD11

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

AD28 11.1 and 3 Adoption Service Regulations The service must ensure that all staff and panel members’ personnel files comply with schedules 3 & 4 of the regulations. 30/03/07

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

2 AD21 10,a and b Adoption Service Regulations The service must ensure that there is sufficient staff to ensure that children with a plan for adoption, or who have been placed for adoption receive a timely service. The service must also ensure that there are sufficient staff to meet the needs of adults suitable to adopt in a timely way. 30/06/07

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

3 AD25 39 Adoption Agency Regulations The service must store adoption records in a place of special security, and as far as is possible minimise the risk to the records from fire and water. 30/06/07 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 26

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RECOMMENDATIONS

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

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RECOMMENDATIONS

No. Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations

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RECOMMENDATIONS

1 AD13 The agency decision maker and not the agency adviser should sign the written notification. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Adoption Service DS0000050029.V323455.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 27

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Commission for Social Care Inspection

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

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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

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