To review the effectiveness of the adoption service.

To approve the adoption service statement of purpose.

THAT:

(a) the performance of the adoption service as outlined at appendix A to this

report be reviewed, any risks to achievement of objectives noted and

relevant mitigating actions approved; and

(b) the statement of purpose attached at appendix B to this report be

approved.

The NMS are issued by the Secretary of State under sections 23 and 49 of the Care

Standards Act 2000 and are issued for use by Ofsted which takes them into account in its inspections.

Standard 25.6 states that:

·        The executive side of the local authority

o   receive written reports on the management, outcomes and financial state of the agency every six months;

o   monitor the management and outcomes of the service in order to satisfy themselves that the agency is effective and is achieving good outcomes for children and/or service users;

o   satisfies itself that the agency is complying with the conditions of registration.

4. Standard 18.3 states that:

·        The executive side of the local authority formally approves the statement of purpose and children’s guides and reviews them at least annually.

Under the National Minimum Standards for Adoption 2014 (NMS), Cabinet should receive updates on the management, outcomes and financial state of Herefordshire Council’s adoption service; it is open to Cabinet to identify additional or alternative actions to improve performance, but in doing so regard must be had to the resource implications of additional actions.