New regional adoption agency launches to recruit adopters

A new regional adoption agency “Adoption Partnership South East” has launched with a focus on recruiting more new adopters across the South East and accelerating processes.

Adoption Partnership South East has been formed in response to a Government mandate that all local authorities must join a regional adoption agency by April 2020. It brings together knowledge and expertise from London Borough of Bexley, Kent County Council and Medway Council to help find loving parents and families for children with a wide range of profiles and needs waiting for their forever home.

The new partnership will provide prospective adopters across the South East region access to a larger number of children helping to find the right match quickly and speeding up processes.

A range of adoption placement types are offered including an early placement Foster to Adopt option which allows prospective adopters to foster a baby or toddler under the age of two until the courts have decided on their future care, reducing disruption for the child significantly.

Staff will remain employed within their local authority, operating within a robust governance structure under the Head of Service for Adoption Partnership South East.

Sarah Skinner, Head of Service for Adoption Partnership South East said: “I am thrilled that our new adoption partnership has launched in the South East bringing together the wealth of experience in the region. By working together, we can recruit a wide and diverse group of adopters and draw on resources across the region to enable us to quickly place more children with their forever families.”

Sue Chandler, KCC Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services said: “KCC is pleased to be part of this wonderful new regional partnership. We have an exceptional adoption service here in Kent and I am thrilled that this will be further enhanced by working with our partners in London Borough of Bexley and Medway.

The wellbeing of our children is of paramount importance and by providing a single point of contact for prospective adopters across the South East we will be able to quickly match children with adopters and vastly reduce the amount of time children wait.

“I would recommend that anyone thinking about adoption attends one of the useful information events or contacts the team for helpful advice.”

To find out more about Adoption Partnership South East, or if you are thinking of adopting a child visit: https://www.adoptionpartnershipsoutheast.org.uk/

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