This week is National Adoption Week!
Mutual Ventures wishes to voice our support for children and adopters, alongside councils and adoption agencies that make adoption a reality. We thank all those whose hard work is improving the lives of children.
Over the last six years, we have been proud to work with councils across England in the establishment of Regional Adoption Agencies, aiming create a system where children are matched with the most suitable adopter as quickly as possible and there are high quality adoption support services for all that need them.
As a result of our work with colleagues in adoption services, there are now 31 Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs), operating across 145 local authorities. Authors of the most recent evaluation of the Programme showed that:
the time taken to place a child in an adoptive family has reduced by average of one month, and more for 'harder to reach' children
more children are placed within their own area, providing a less disruptive experience for children and reducing more costly out-of-area placements
a more strategic approach to commissioning adoption support has resulted in improved early intervention and universal offers
During the COVID-19 pandemic, RAA and local authority adoption leaders continued their work to keep children and potential adopters moving through the adoption system. The National Adoption Strategy reveals how this effort meant that between April and December 2020, despite significant challenges, 2,330 adopters were approved, 2,270 children and adopters were matched, and 2,250 children were placed with their new adoptive families.
To visit the National Adoption Week website click here.
To read more about our work on the Regional Adoption Agencies Programme click here.