| Dudley (3) - developing consortia arrangements |
Summary of Context
Dudley is a medium sized Metropolitan Borough in the West Midlands.
From the early 1990s Children's and Adults' Services were configured
with a purchaser provider split. Although purchaser and provider services
are now integrated the business unit approach enabled significant
innovative developments. The Adoption Service was run as a Business
Unit with clear targets for recruiting adoptive parents, and an expectation
that the service would meet the needs of all looked after children
for whom adoption was in their best interest. |
Good Practice
The Authority, with other local authorities in the region, has formed
a consortium to pool resources for recruitment, training and support
for adoptive parents. This has created a larger pool of available
adoptive carers with increased opportunity to find good matches for
children with complex needs or for sibling groups.
The budget for advertising, marketing and recruitment is also larger
and some joint training opportunities are also available. |
Benefits
At the time of the Joint Review in May 2002, a very small team had
achieved significant outcomes for looked after children. Though overall
percentages of looked after children placed for adoption were not
high, the rate of placement per worker was high and the speed of placements
was good, nearly 4 months quicker than the England average. The Authority
was also able to place children with high care needs, those with a
mixed heritage and sibling groups.
Similar arrangements are also in place in the South West of England
and in some areas in Wales |
| Contact: Jane Prashar |
Tel:. 01384 815831
E-mail:
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