Regional adoption agencies (RAAs) provide a range of adoption services on behalf of local authorities, including recruiting and assessing adopters and ongoing adoption support.
They have developed in England since 2017. As of August 2023, there were 32 RAAs delivering services on behalf of 149 councils, meaning RAAs now deliver the majority of the country’s adoption activity.
Ofsted does not currently have powers to inspect RAAs directly but does examine aspects of adoption practice under the Social Care Common Inspection Framework, which covers voluntary adoption agencies and adoption support agencies, and as part of inspections of local authority children’s services.
Last year, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan directed the regulator to carry out a series of sample inspections as part of efforts to improve regulation and inspection arrangements and increase scrutiny of adoption practice.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
