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THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SOCIETY:
Aims:
The aims of the Society are reflected in the Quality Standards which underpin and inform the Society’s Adoption Policy, Procedure and Practice Guidance.
To provide secure and sustainable adoptive placements for children Looked After in Local Authority Care, who are likely to have experienced abuse and neglect and may have attachment difficulties and / or physical or learning disabilities.
To provide counselling and support as appropriate to adopted adults, birth families, adopters and young people whose lives have been affected by adoption or other permanent placements.
To provide an intermediary service to adult adoptees and their adult birth relatives, whose adoptions took place through the Society.
To place and support infants whose birth families request placement for adoption within a Roman Catholic family through the services of the Society.
To provide an independent Support Service when commissioned by a Local Authority to birth families whose child/children has a plan for adoption.
To provide Training and Consultancy Services on a range of adoption related topics to Local Authorities and other Adoption Agencies
Objectives:
To recruit, prepare, train and assess adoptive parents.
To match and place children with prospective adoptive parents, and to provide appropriate adoption support.
To target recruitment of black and inter-racial families to meet the needs of black and dual heritage children.
To enhance childrens’ and adults’ sense of their identity by respecting their personal history, culture, language, religion and race and by encouraging the development of secure attachment relationships.
To develop new and innovative services related to our core work.
To develop professional skills and understanding and disseminate this knowledge widely.
To influence positively public and national policy relating to the promotion of best interests of children.
To support the work of the services of the Society by access to professional advisers in the field of law, medicine and mental health, education and spirituality.
To support the placement of children by an efficient and effective administrative support service.
To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of services provided by the Society’s Adoption Service.
To involve service users in the provision and development of services.
To work to the Society’s Policies, Procedures and Standards in relation to child protection, equal opportunities, complaints, finance and administration, health and environment, safety, security and management of risk, monitoring and evaluation, staff development and training, staff management, staff recruitment, service-user involvement and volunteers.
To counsel and support the Society’s birth families who are considering the placement of children for adoption and to ensure that the service offered recognises the lifelong implications of adoption for all concerned.
To facilitate contact between adopted adults and their adult birth relatives, in accordance with the Society’s Intermediary Services Policy & Procedures.
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THE REGISTERED PROVIDER:
Responsible Person is: Stephen Anthony Hargrave, The Catholic Children's Society, 7 Colwick Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5FR
Telephone: 0115 955 8811
The Responsible Person has over thirty years experience in Social Care, including the Statutory, Voluntary and Independent Sectors.
The Responsible Person qualified as a Social Worker in 1982, obtaining a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work at Leeds Metropolitan University and obtained a Management Qualification in 1986 from North Oxfordshire College of Further Education.
He has extensive experience in the field of adoption, as a Social Worker, Guardian ad Litem, Chair of an Adoption Panel and Agency Decision-maker.
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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION (IF ANY) UNDER PART 2 OF THE CARE STANDARDS ACT 2000
- Domestic Adoption Services (DA)
- Adoption Support Agency (ASA)
- The Society is Registered with OFSTED (since 01/04/07), with the CSCI Certificate of Registration being issued on 30.04.2003.
Contact Details:
OFSTED National Business Unit
Royal Exchange Buildings
St Ann’s Square
Manchester M2 7LA
Tel: 08456 404040
Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.org
Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk
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THE REGISTERED MANAGER:
Graham Richard Pellew, The Catholic Children's Society, 7 Colwick Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5FR
Telephone: 0115 955 8811
The Registered Manager holds a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work and a Post Graduate Certificate in Public Services Management. The Registered Manager has been employed in Statutory and Voluntary Child Care Services for over thirty years and has twenty years experience working in a specialist adoption setting.
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CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S SOCIETY STAFFING:
Management Team
Chief Executive
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
Certificate in Management Studies
Deputy Chief Executive
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
Post Graduate Certificate in Public Services Management
Finance and Administration Manager
National Institute of Accountants, Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries, Member of the Australian Institute of Management
Diploma in Charity Accounting
Support Services Team
Secretary to Directorate (Part-Time)
RSA Shorthand
RSA Typing
RSA Clait 1 and 2
City & Guilds Teaching Basic Skills
Senior Social Work Secretary
RSA Shorthand
RSA Typing
RSA Clait 1/2/3
Desktop Publishing, First Aid at Work
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant
RSA Clait 1 and 2
City & Guilds IT Stage 3
IBT 2, NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration
Administrative Officer/Appeals
NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration
Pitman Accounting Technician Diploma
Desktop Publishing
Sessional Secretary
RSA Clait 1 and 2
Social Work Team
4 Full-time Social Workers, 1 Full-time Senior Practitioner and 1 Part-time Senior Practitioner
Diploma in Social Work
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
1 Part-time Social Work Practitioners
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
1 Adoption Support Manager (Part-time)
M.SW and BA (Psychology)
4 Sessional Social Workers
All having Social Work qualification and significant experience in the provision of Social
Work Services/Training and Consultancy.
2 Part-time Adoption Recruitment and Marketing Co-ordinators
RSA 1 and 2 Typing
RSA Shorthand
RSA Clait 1 + 2
Adoption UK Co-ordinator – 22 years
Adoption Panel Member – Local Authority – and
RSA Shorthand
RSA Typing
RSA Clait 1 and 2
City & Guilds Teaching Basic Skills
2 Part-time Adoption Support Group Workers
MA in Social Work
BA Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
Upon appointment all Social Work staff at the Society are required to have a minimum of two years post-qualifying experience within a Children and Family setting. An exception will only be made in the case of a relatively newly-qualified social worker making a positive application and having significant experience whilst un-qualified within a Children and Family setting. The Society has been very successful in recruiting staff with considerably more than the minimum experience required. Of the current staff employed nine have in excess of ten years experience of working in the fostering and adoption specialism and two staff members have over twenty years experience in the provision of adoption and adoption support services.
The Society is committed to supporting appropriately experienced staff to achieve the post-qualifying awards. At the current time the Deputy Chief Executive and eight Social Workers have achieved the PQ1 Award. A programme of post-qualifying award training is established with each staff member being aware of their own training expectation.
All Society staff are subject to the Agency’s appointment and employment procedures and training and appraisal protocol.
All staff are subject to enhanced CRB checks on a two yearly basis.
Any Sessional Staff are subject to the same requirements as any full-time employed staff member.
All staff receive regular supervision and Agency Procedures offer clarity regarding roles and responsibilities within this process.
The Society commissions a number of individuals and volunteers in relation to its organisation, fundraising and service delivery. These include:-
- Diocesan Appeals Team – Includes adoptive parents, trustees, volunteers
- Schools Visits Team – Includes head teachers, teachers, adoptive parents, volunteers
- Education Adviser, Medical Adviser, Legal Adviser and Spiritual Adviser
- Experienced Adoptive Parents as Co-Facilitators in Adoption Preparation Groups
- Volunteer Programme Co-ordinator
- Adoption Recruitment Volunteers.
All those who have a role in delivering the services of the CCS Nottingham are subject of an enhanced CRB check. This includes all Volunteers and Trustees.
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ORGANISATION AND OPERATIONAL CONTROL:
The Society is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Society’s President is Bishop Malcolm McMahon, OP, of the RC Diocese of Nottingham, who delegates governance to the Board.
Two Executive Committees of the Board, Professional Issues and Finance and General Purpose have oversight of the Society’s professional services and its financial and administrative management.
The Council of Trustees delegate the day to day management of the Society to the Chief Executive, who delegates particular responsibility through the Management Team. The Management Team comprises the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and the Finance & Administration Manager. A clear protocol exists to ensure management presence at all times in the Society.
The Chief Executive of the Society is the Agency Decision-maker in relation to the Adoption Service and the Adoption Panel. The Chief Executive holds responsibility for the efficient management of the Society and its services, taking a lead in the development and maintenance of the Society’s Voluntary Income Generation Programme. The Deputy Chief Executive holds lead responsibility for professional service delivery and the management of day-to-day work relating to the provision of adoption services including the supervision of social work staff and acts as the professional adviser to the Adoption Panel. The Finance and Administration Manager is responsible for managing the finance and administrative services of the Society and supervision of all support service staff.
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MONITORING AND EVALUATION:
The Society strives to ensure that its services are effective and efficient, and continually monitors and evaluates its operations and administrative procedures. Systems currently in place ensure that the services provided by the Agency are effective and the quality of those services is of an appropriate and high standard.
Service-Users
The Society is committed to seeking feedback from service-users in order to inform future service provision and to assess the efficiency and quality of its service provision.
Systems are also established to seek feedback from birth relative and adopted adults who are in receipt of, or who have received, the Society’s services.
Service-users are represented on the Council of Trustees, the Adoption Panel, sessional adoption social work staff, and on the Volunteer Task Force.
Employees
In the recruitment process, the views of potential applicants are sought where job description, person specification and information packs are sent and no application is subsequently received from such applicants.
Exit interviews are carried out with all staff leaving the Society, where practicable and with their agreement, and their views taken into consideration in all aspects of the Agency’s services and the suitability of the HR Policy and Procedures.
Children
Every effort is made to seek the views of children placed for adoption through the Society and their views recorded to inform future adoption service planning. Post-adoption groups of children of various age ranges have usefully informed the development of the Society’s Adoption Support Services for Children.
The Society’s Complaints Procedure is readily accessible to all service-users, including children, and is highlighted to service-users at the first point of contact with the Society.
Enquirers about Adoption
When people request an information pack their enquiry is followed up by a member of the Social Work Team within two weeks. If individuals do not wish to proceed with their interest in adoption, the reasons for this are recorded and subsequently evaluated in order to inform the Society’s recruitment programme.
Prospective Adoptive Parents
After each Adoption Preparation Group session, two Evaluation Forms are completed – one by the social workers facilitating the group, which provides feedback to the assessing social worker on the participation of the applicants and highlighting any issues that need to be discussed further as part of the assessment. The second Form covers the applicants’ own evaluation of the content and delivery of the Preparation Groups. There is a dual purpose to this evaluation – to feed back to the assessing social worker and to inform the Annual Review of the Adoption Preparation and Assessment Programme. The Deputy Chief Executive receives copies of these evaluations and copies are maintained in the Central Evaluation & Monitoring Records.
Feedback on the applicants’ satisfaction of the services received from the Society is actively sought in a face-to-face meeting with the Deputy Chief Executive or Senior Practitioner at the Assessment Review. This Review takes place towards the end of an adoption assessment, unless concerns have been identified during the assessment, in which case, an earlier Assessment Review will be arranged. The purpose is to ensure that any issues concerning the application can be raised and discussed with applicants and that applicants also have an opportunity to give feedback on their experience of the assessment process to date. The quality control element of this Review ensures that an appropriate timetable of work has been successfully completed at this stage, that it is to a standard in accordance with the Society’s policy and procedures in this respect and that information gained from applicants may inform the future review and development of the Society’s Adoption Preparation and Assessment Programme. The content of this Review is fully recorded, kept on the case file and a copy provided for the applicants. Any information that is perceived to be useful for evaluation and development purposes is retrieved and disseminated through the Society’s Evaluation and Monitoring Programme.
At the end of the assessment process, and following Adoption Panel, applicants are requested to complete a questionnaire highlighting their experience of the Panel process. Feedback from the social worker relating to their own experience is sought after each attendance at Panel and the Panel Members’ views sought on an annual basis.
These evaluations are scrutinised on an annual basis and used to inform the continuing development of the Panel process, which actively involves the Panel Chair, Vice-Chair and Professional Adviser to the Panel. Any relevant information is also linked to the performance management process.
The Agency Decision-maker receives copies of the Adoption Panel Annual Report, which informs the Chief Executive’s Report to Trustees.
Adoptive Families
Following the placement of a child/children, adoptive parents are requested to provide feedback on the introductory process and the quality and usefulness of the support they received during this period. This information is used to inform the planning of future introductions, as well as contributing to the development of comprehensive training material covering all aspects of the dynamics of introducing ‘Looked After’ children to their adoptive families.
The process of introducing ‘Looked After’ children to their adoptive families is the subject of a comprehensive Training Package, ‘Changing Families’, produced by the Society for national and international dissemination.
A detailed questionnaire is sent to adoptive families after the granting of an Adoption Order, which seeks their views on their adoption experience with the Society. This includes questions in relation to their preparation for adoption, matching and introductions, placement, support and on-going contact.
Three months following the granting of an Adoption Order, the Adoption Support Manager or Senior Practitioner undertakes a post-adoption support visit to engage the adoptive family in the Adoption Support Services provided by the Society and fully illustrated throughout the Adoption Assessment and Preparation Programme. During the course of this interview, further opportunities for the adopters to provide feedback to the Society on all aspects of the service they have received is given. The information gained informs the future planning and development of the Society’s Adoption and Adoption Support Services.
An annual questionnaire is sent to all adoptive parents seeking their views on the Adoption Support Services they would value receiving over the coming year, which range from informal support groups to structured workshops with external speakers and contributors. These are often provided on an Inter-Agency basis, which gives families opportunity to share both their learning and their adoption experience with adoptive families working with other Agencies, both Voluntary and Statutory.
Adoption Support (birth relatives, adopted adults, adoptive parents):
All service users who receive adoption support services from the Society are sent a questionnaire at the conclusion of the work seeking their views about the quality of the service they have received. This information is evaluated to improve the planning and delivery of future services.
Children:
After adoption, children, with the permission of their adoptive parent(s), are sent an age-appropriate leaflet for them to complete with their adoptive parent(s), if they so wish. This becomes an integral part of the adoption support visit. It is the Society’s intention to carry out further work with children after adoption to gain more detailed pictures of the lives of adopted children. Support Groups for adopted children are currently being planned with the recent appointment of two part-time workers, to specifically focus on this task. They will be drawing on work undertaken previously by the Society, through the ‘Adoption Stars Group’. This was a Group for adopted girls aged between ten and fourteen years, which was extremely successful. This Group was established from the learning and development which informed the Agency’s adoption services through the Department of Health-funded Project ‘16-18’ which sought the views and feelings of young adopted people regarding their adoption experience.
The Society’s experience of working with children who often carry a distorted view of their early childhood, encouraged a former member of the Social Work staff, Judith Foxon, to write a series of six illustrated story books (The Nutmeg Series), with accompanying Practice Guidance, to facilitate direct work with children. These workbooks are published by BAAF and provide valuable assistance to social workers, adoptive parents, foster carers and their children, creating a better understanding for young people who struggle with painful aspects of their lives. Judith has also written a book during 2007, also published by BAAF, entitled ‘Spark Learns to Fly’, focusing on children’s experience of domestic violence.
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PROCEDURES FOR RECRUITING, PREPARING, ASSESSING, APPROVING AND SUPPORTING PROSPECTIVE ADOPTERS:
Recruitment of Adopters:
The Society aims to provide stable and secure adoptive families for children where a decision has been made by a Local Authority that adoption is in their best interests. Recruitment activity is targeted on the children Local Authorities have difficulty in placing through their own approved adoption resources. Details of these children are received by the Society through direct contact from Local Authority staff, circulation of flyers, children featured in Adoption UK and Be My Parent publications and via the Adoption Register.
Recruitment activity is ongoing throughout the year and is undertaken by two part-time Recruitment and Marketing Co-ordinators, with support from a small team of Recruitment Volunteers and members of the Social Work Team. Recruitment activities include advertising, both locally and regionally, display stands in libraries, shopping centres and other public places, circulation of promotional leaflets, posters and bookmarks, the ‘Families are Best’ website, radio, TV and newspaper interviews and within the Catholic churches and schools in the Diocese through the work of the Society’s Appeals Teams.
A duty social worker is available during office hours to receive enquiries from prospective adoptive parents, to provide information about the children the Society places for adoption and to share details of the Adoption Preparation, Assessment and Approval process of the Society. A comprehensive Information Pack is sent to enquirers and, follow up contact is made in the form of a telephone call, letter or email within two weeks. Where enquirers wish to pursue their interest in adoption, an appointment for an office visit is made, during which an initial assessment is made of the enquirers’ potential to meet the needs of children needing adoption placement. After the initial interview, a decision is reached jointly with the enquirers about whether they should submit an adoption application to the Society, and where this is agreed, an Application Form is completed following which the required range of statutory checks are initiated.
Where there is any level of concern or uncertainty regarding the application, the Deputy Chief Executive will ensure a Report of all information available to the Society is presented to the Adoption Panel to seek their advice regarding the suitability of the Society encouraging prospective adoptive applicants to submit a formal adoption application. A copy of the Report is supplied for the prospective adoptive applicants and their views sought on the content.
Preparation, Assessment and Approval:
The Society provides an integrated Adoption Preparation and Assessment Programme for all prospective adoptive parents. The Preparation Groups, which contain seven whole-day modules, are run three times each year. The social work assessment runs concurrently which enables issues covered during the group preparation sessions to be raised and discussed promptly with applicants by the assessing social worker. The preparation and assessment programme aims to equip applicants to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social and health needs of children placed for adoption from Local Authority Care. An additional session is now held at the end of each series of Groups to prepare relatives, friends and supporters.
BAAF Form F is used as the assessment format and a copy of this is provided for applicants at the start of the assessment process. There are additions to the Form F format included in the Society’s Assessment Programme, which include contact, health and safety, statement of understanding of wider issues relating to children who have experienced abuse, and the finance statement, providing information regarding the applicants’ financial circumstances. Applicants are provided with a Home Study Workbook which they use to record information about themselves and their family, and which contributes towards the content of the Form F assessment report. A Preparation Toolkit is provided which enables and encourages applicants to record information about their learning, and also include resources that may be useful to them as adoptive parents.
An Assessment Review is held with the Deputy Chief Executive or Senior Practitioner and adoptive applicants to review progress of the assessment from both the Agency and the applicants’ perspective. This process may then highlight any contentious or other issues which may need additional work before the assessment is completed and to ensure that the assessment process has been thorough and complete.
Once the final Assessment Report is prepared, a copy is shared with the applicants and any comments they make regarding the content are fully considered before the report is finalised. The applicants sign the final report.
The Society operates an Adoption Panel in accordance with the Adoption Agency Regulations and the assessment report is presented to the Adoption
Panel for consideration. Applicants are encouraged to attend the Panel and participate in the discussion, and are provided with written information to assist them in deciding whether they will attend and to prepare them for meeting the Panel.
The Chief Executive of the Society is the Agency Decision-maker, and all Agency Decisions are made following consideration of the Adoption Panel’s Recommendations and within five working days of that Recommendation. Applicants are notified in writing once an Agency Decision is made. Where the Agency Decision-maker is minded not to approve an application the applicants are given the opportunity to make representations to the Agency Decision Maker or to apply to the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for an independent review of their assessment by the IRM Panel.
Support:
Approved adoptive parents are encouraged to join ‘Be My Parent’ and ‘Adoption UK’ and make the initial contact with social workers in Social Services Departments who are responsible for children featured in these publications. Their details are also sent to the Adoption Register immediately following the Agency Decision, and profiles also circulated to Local Authorities. In addition the adoptive family’s allocated social worker will discuss with them details of children referred to the Society directly from a number of Local Authorities.
The allocated social worker will discuss all suitable children with the adopters. If a link appears possible they will make contact with the child’s social worker to commence the process of exchanging information. Full, comprehensive and up to date information about the child is requested, including health and educational assessments.
The Society’s document ‘Expectations in Relation to Permanent Family Placement’ describes the type of information that the Society requires to facilitate a link between children and families, why this is needed, the timescale in which it should be received, and the Society’s general expectations relating to Inter-Agency adoption placements. Detailed advice is given to assist the Placing Local Authorities to provide comprehensive background information for each child to be placed with adoptive parents through the Society, and information regarding the Adoption Support Services that will be provided by the Society. The booklet also includes an Information Exchange leaflet, which headlines the information that the Society believes to be essential to provide a firm foundation for the placement and to reduce the risk of disruption during introduction and early placement.
Detailed discussions take place with the prospective adoptive parents regarding the content of the reports during and following a meeting with the child’s social worker. Advice on the content of reports on children is sought from the Society’s Legal, Medical, Education and Spiritual Advisers, whenever relevant, and this advice is discussed with the adopters. Any concerns or risks identified are highlighted and advice provided on the likely impact of these for the child, the adopters and their family. Meetings between the adopters and the child’s foster carers, teachers and the Medical Adviser are actively encouraged.
Once a placement is agreed the social worker provides intensive support to the adopters during the introductory period and the early weeks of placement. Home visits occur on a weekly basis for the first month, followed by fortnightly for the following three months and in accordance with assessed and agreed need. Copies of case records, reflecting these visits, are sent to the Placing Agency and a reciprocal arrangement of their own case records requested. Support on the telephone is also provided and the adopters are invited to attend the Society’s monthly support groups and other ongoing training and social events. Additional support may be provided by the Society’s Education Adviser, by the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) team or by an experienced adoptive family with whom the adopters will have been linked during the assessment process. The Local Authority social worker retains responsibility for the child and is expected to visit on a regular basis.
Advice and support is provided to adopters to assist them to prepare their application to adopt for the Court, and to maintain any agreed contact arrangements.
Every effort is made to avoid a placement disruption, but occasionally the needs of the child are so complex that the adopters’ capacity to manage these are insufficient, even with an intensive package of support services. In such circumstances the welfare of the child remains paramount and efforts are made to avoid an unplanned ending of the placement. The adopters are provided with support focussed on their needs during and following a placement disruption. The Society’s research into disruption ‘Disruption in Adoption, the Challenge to Policy and Practice’ informs the Society’s practice in this respect, as well as detailed guidance in the Adoption Policy, Procedure and Practice Guidance.
The Role of the Social Worker in Disruption
n these complex and emotionally fraught circumstances, the social worker’s role in the events leading up to and including a Disruption Meeting, include the following:
- To maintain the child’s interest at the centre of the proceedings and to help and support colleagues and the adoptive family to do the same
- To avoid falling into the trap of blame and recrimination that so powerfully inhibits all parties from being able to speak about the events in which they have been involved
- To acknowledge there are reasons why the family may be justified in feeling the response to, the support of, or the management of their situation was less than they needed
- It is in no-one’s interest to conceal the resource issues that determine social work time and availability or the lack of access to other services that may have helped
- To ‘build bridges’ with colleagues to enable everyone present at a Disruption Meeting to feel they will be respectfully treated, in an atmosphere of shared responsibility for the placement and for reviewing and weighing the information available
- To assist the family move forward. The future health and wellbeing of its members, often including other children, is a responsibility. In order to move forward, the family needs to have the opportunity to re-build self-esteem, reduce guilt and to have experience to share a sense of responsibility for a better understanding of the child’s needs
- Communicate with adoptive families who are unable to attend a Disruption Meeting. The family should be invited to contribute in writing. Their original motivation to care for a child should be acknowledged and, as being key players in the child’s life, if only for a short period, they are entitled to be informed at a later date about the child’s circumstances and welfare
The issues of management, supervision and support for the social workers involved is crucial at all points of the process and is clearly outlined in the Society’s Policy and Procedures on the Effective Management of Disruption.
Adoption Support Services:
The Society offers support, advice and counselling to adopted children, adults, adoptive parents and birth relatives where the adoption took place through the Society.
Regular support group sessions are offered to adoptive parents. These are managed by the Adoption Support Manager in conjunction with a focus group of volunteer adoptive parents who have a keen interest in the development and organisation of this service.
The Society organises regular social events for adoptive families (or parents and children), including an annual summer picnic and Christmas disco.
A monthly evening support line is offered to adoptive parents who are unable to speak to a Social Worker during daytime hours.
Regular training events and workshops are offered to adoptive parents, organised by the Society and also jointly with other local voluntary adoption agencies.
A daily duty rota system is in operation during each weekday, ensuring that adoptive parents always have access to a Social Worker for support and assistance.
An initial referral and assessment procedure is in place for all adopted children, adults, adoptive parents and birth relatives who may seek advice, help and support in the future. This assessment may lead to the Society providing a direct service to the individual or family, or may require the Society to signpost the individual or family to the relevant and appropriate service.
An intermediary service is available to both adopted adults and birth relatives, whose adoptions took place through the Society, to help establish contact between people separated by adoption as appropriate.
An access to information/births records counselling service is offered to all adults adopted through the Society.
Support Groups for children are currently being planned and the outcome of a funding application is awaited.
Procedures for assessing the needs of adoptive families and their children:
- 1.The family make contact with the Society via telephone, letter or email.
- 1.A referral is completed by the Social Worker on duty and this is passed immediately to the Adoption Support Manager for scrutiny.
- 1.The case is prioritised for immediate allocation if required and an initial assessment is completed by the allocated Social Worker.
- 1.An assessment and recommendation is made by the allocated Social Worker and immediately provided to the Adoption Support Manager who will make a decision as to the actions necessary. This may include short-term direct work with the child and/or family, signposting to other appropriate resources, or liaising with the placing or receiving local authority to ensure appropriate supports and services are in place.
Procedures for assessing the needs of adopted adults and their birth relatives:
Adopted adults may approach the Society for access to their adoption information, intermediary services, registering a Veto or for general advice, information or support about their adoption.
Birth Relatives may approach the Society for access to non-identifying information about their adopted relative, intermediary services or advice, information or support about their relative’s adoption.Adopted adults may approach the Society for access to their adoption information, intermediary services, registering a Veto or for general advice, information or support about their adoption.
Birth Relatives may approach the Society for access to non-identifying information about their adopted relative, intermediary services or advice, information or support about their relative’s adoption.
The process for assessment and accessing these services is largely the same for both parties:
- 1.Contact with the Society via telephone, letter or email.
- A referral is completed by the Social Worker on duty and this is passed immediately to the Adoption Support Manager for scrutiny.
- Written information about the Society’s adoption support services is sent to the service user, including an application pack if appropriate (in the case of access to information and intermediary service requests only)
- An assessment of the needs of the service user can often be made by the Adoption Support Manager based on the content of information provided in the original referral (e.g. in the case of a request for access to information or an intermediary service)
- A decision about allocation is made in accordance with the current waiting times and reflecting the specific needs of the service user (after receipt of the completed application if appropriate).
- The allocated Social Worker meets with the service user if appropriate and completes an assessment of need or provides the relevant service as required.
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SUMMARY OF COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE:
The Society positively encourages comments and criticisms concerning its services. The Society has a formal Complaints Procedure, which is made available to all service-users at their first point of contact with the Society. A simple child-focused Form is also available for children in placement and after adoption to encourage young people to share any worries or concerns they may have.
If the complainant, the staff member involved and their Manager is unable to resolve the dissatisfaction, then the formal Complaints Procedure will be implemented without delay.
The Representations Officer of the Society is the Chief Executive.
The Independent Person in relation to complaints is Ms Jane Singh, Social Work Manager, St Francis’ Children’s Society, Collis House, 48 Newport Road, Woolstone Milton Keynes, MK15 0AA. Tel: 01908 572 700.
Complaints may also be directed to:
OFSTED National Business Unit
Royal Exchange Buildings
St Ann’s Square
Manchester M2 7LA
Tel: 08456 404040
Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.org
Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk
Where a child or young person wishes to make a complaint the Society will seek to support them and provide them with the appropriate information to facilitate the process of their complaint. If the matter cannot be resolved through the Society’s informal or formal Complaints Procedure, a child or young person may contact: The Children’s Rights Director, OFSTED, Alexandra House, 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE, Tel: 08456 404040, www.ofsted.gov.uk, or Voice, Freephone 0808 8005792, www.voiceyp.org, or National Youth Advocacy Service, Freephone 0800 616101, www.nyas.net, or Children’s Legal Centre, Freephone 0800 783 2187, www.childrenslegalcentre.com
Complaints outcome 01/04/2007 to 31/03/2008 – There were no complaints.
Stage 1:
A service-user can tell the people who run the service about their dissatisfaction.
Informal Complaint:
If a service-user is not happy about the service that has been offered, he/she will be able to tell the person who is working with them. That member of staff should then tell their manager or supervisor about the complaint and also explain how they have dealt with it. This helps us to make sure that the matter has been handled properly. The manager will keep a written record of the complaint, because it is necessary for the Society to take an overview of all concerns and complaints, so that we can ensure that we offer the best possible services.
If the service-user feels that the person he/she is working with cannot help them with the matter, or if he/she is not happy with the answers they give, then he/she should contact their manager. The applicants will be aware, in most cases, of appropriate individuals because of access to the organisational structure, received in their Adoption Information Pack at initial point of contact. If he/she is not sure who is their manager, he/she can ask the worker or any member of staff at the Society’s offices.
The manager can be contacted:
- by telephone
- by letter
- by asking to see them
Most problems can be resolved by discussing them with the people who manage the service. The Society will investigate / look into the matter and, wherever possible, the outcome of the investigation will be provided within ten days. If that is not achievable because of extenuating circumstances, the Complainant will be informed immediately it becomes evident that the ten-day deadline may not be met.
Stage 2:
If the service-user is not satisfied that the problem has been solved, they can ask for a further investigation and for their complaint to be looked at again.
Formal Complaint
All formal complaints must be put in writing to the Representations Officer. In the Society, the Representations Officer is the Chief Executive, who is suitably removed from the day-to-day management of the social work of the Society. The Representations Officer can be contacted:
- by letter addressed to the Representations Officer at the Catholic Children's Society, Nottingham
- by e-mail: enquiries@ccsnotts.co.uk
A service-user can ask a friend, family member, or advocate to help them think through what he/she wants to complain about and how he/she wants to share their views.
The Representations Officer will let the Complainant know within three working days that their complaint has been received.
The Representations Officer will need to make sure that the complaint is legitimate or valid, and that it should be directed to the Agency.
The Representations Officer may:
- telephone the service-user and ask for more details
- arrange to meet with the service-user to discuss their concerns
- talk to other people who are involved
Investigation
When it is established that further investigation is needed and requested by the Complainant, the Representations Officer will let the Complainant know that, and will appoint an Independent Person.
The Independent Person is someone who is not responsible for the service that is being complained about and is not employed by the Society. The Independent Person will look into all the circumstances that led to the complaint and may interview the Complainant or other members of staff, may look at all the records concerning the matter being complained about, and will then recommend what should be done.
The Independent Person will aim to complete the Investigation within twenty-eight days of the day when it was agreed that there was a legitimate or valid complaint. The findings and recommendations of the Independent Person will be given to the Society’s Representations Officer and to the Complainant. If someone else made the complaint on the Complainant’s behalf, they will also be advised of the recommendations.
Sometimes Investigations take longer than twenty-eight days. If this happens, the Complainant will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.
If the Complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the Investigation, he/she should tell the Representations Officer within twenty-eight days.
Stage 3:
If the Complainant is not satisfied with the response to their formal complaint, he/she can proceed to a Review Panel.
Review Panel
Under these circumstances, the complaint will then be considered by a Review Panel. The Panel usually meets within twenty-eight days of the Representations Officer receiving the Complainant’s request to move to Stage 3. The Review Panel will be made up of at least three people. Two of these may be senior members of the Society, but the Panel will be chaired by a person who is independent of the agency. The person will not be the same Independent Person who has already looked at the complaint.
The Complainant is welcome to come to the meeting of the Review Panel and to bring someone with them, if they wish. The Complainant will be informed of the date of the Panel, ten days before the meeting. The person the Complainant chooses to come with them, may be a relative, friend, or a professional advocate. They may help the Complainant to decide what to tell the Panel, they may attend the meeting with the Complainant and, if the Complainant wishes, they may speak on their behalf. Concerns may be presented by the advocate or Complainant in a written statement to the Panel (or they may be conveyed verbally).
After the meeting the Panel members will make recommendations to the Society and will notify the Complainant of those recommendations. The Society may consider its original decision, taking into account the Panel’s recommendations, and alongside the views of the Independent Person who was first appointed, decide what action should be taken.
The Director of the Society will write to the Complainant, letting them know the final decision within five working days.
Any changes or action which it is decided should be taken, will be implemented as soon as possible after that final decision is reached.
If the Complainant is still not satisfied he/she can contact:
OFSTED National Business Unit
Royal Exchange Buildings
St Ann’s Square
Manchester M2 7LA
Tel: 08456 404040
Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.org
Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk
Other independent advice can be obtained from other organisations, such as The Citizens’ Advice Bureau, which may be able to help; the complainant’s local MP may also give independent advice.
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THE NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE REGISTRATION AUTHORITY:
OFSTED National Business Unit
Royal Exchange Buildings
St Ann’s Square
Manchester M2 7LA
Tel: 08456 404040
Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.org
Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk
