Decision details

Regional Adoption Agency Services* - FEB19/CAB/82

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

To agree an award of contract relating to the regional adoption services.

Decision:

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to delegate authority to the Executive Director of People and Communities to:

1.    Vary the existing contract with The Adolescent and Children's Trust (TACT) relating to adoption services; via a Notice of Change (NOC)

2.    Authorise the decision for Cambridgeshire County Council  to appoint a Voluntary Adoption Agency on behalf of the Council;

3.    Enter into a Partnership Agreement with Cambridgeshire County Council, and authorise any subsequent variations required;

4.    Authorise the Director of Governance or authorised legal officers to enter into any other legal documentation necessary to document the contractual, and other legal arrangements in relation to Regional Adoption Agency services.

Reasons for the decision:

The development of Regional Adoption Agencies is a Government requirement; the agreement to deliver this based on a partnership between Peterborough and Cambridgeshire offers a model that is in line with current direction of travel for both authorities, as will be underpinned by a formal Partnership Agreement. Bringing adoption services together in this way also offers the opportunity for benefits in the recruitment of adopters and matching of children.

 

In order to secure this objective, both authorities have worked collaboratively to deliver a RAA within dedicated timescales. Appropriate governance arrangements have been in place throughout the commissioning activity both via the RAA Governance Board, and Joint Commissioning Board.

 

Alternative options considered:

The government have said that RAAs will need to be fully operational by 2020 at the latest, and every Local Authority will need to demonstrate significant progress by early 2019. There are few alternative options available to the authority given the DfE mandate that Regional Adoption Agencies will be in place across England by 2020. Peterborough and Cambridgeshire are in the third wave of authorities to develop a Regional Adoption Agency service model.

 

Interests and Nature of Interests Declared:

None.

Background Documents:

None.

Publication date: 04/02/2019

Date of decision: 04/02/2019

Decided at meeting: 04/02/2019 - Cabinet

Effective from: 08/02/2019

Accompanying Documents: