Wakefield Council boosts number of foster carers who become adopters
Fiona Simpson
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
A council’s children’s services department which was rated “inadequate” by Ofsted in 2018 has achieved the highest rate of foster care to adoption conversions in West Yorkshire.
During its last full inspection in 2018, the council was rated “inadequate” across all areas with inspectors urging leaders to improve “placement stability and the timeliness in achieving permanence for all children” and “the availability of sufficient, suitable local placements to meet the needs of children in care and care leavers”.
It now boasts the highest conversion rate of foster carers becoming adopters in the West Yorkshire region, according to council figures.
In 2018/19, 30 children were adopted overall, with numbers rising in 2020/21 to 49 children.
Council leaders hail changes to practice including the introduction of the Mockingbird Family Model for foster carers as factors leading to improvement in children’s social care.
Since the introduction of the model which links groups of foster carers together to enable sleepovers, short breaks, peer support and social activities, and a campaign to recruit foster carers, the council has doubled the number of those recruited year-on-year, from nine in 2018/19 to 20 in 2020/21.
“The new approach is proven to be better for children, with no placement disruptions for young people, improved emotional and behavioural attitudes, and better educational progress. Young people have received stability and been able to become part of the local communities,” the council says.
Other actions to support children have included improvements to recording systems and the setting up of a permanence panel where the steps to achieve permanence for children are kept in focus by reviewing young people’s needs so there is flexibility to plan for future services, the council said.
Councillor Margaret Isherwood, cabinet member for children and young people said: “We are fully committed to providing children and young people in our district with permanent and settled homes.
“The changes we are making are part of our improvement journey as we recognise how important it is for all children in the district to have a safe and secure home as the foundation for developing their skills, talents, and to follow their ambitions.”
