Combined Executive Agenda 120410.pdf - North Ayrshire Council

5.3. Within North Ayrshire there has been a rise in the number of children who
have become ‘looked after’ and accommodated due to the impact of parental
substance
misuse and subsequent neglect of children.
Levels of substance misuse in North Ayrshire remain high, consequently there
is likely to be a need to identify more adoptive/permanence placements due to
the inability
of some parents to provide adequate care and nurture for their
children.
5.4. The views of children are important to the adoption/permanence process and
creative, appropriate ways of communicating,
taking account of their age and
stage, are necessary to inform planning.
6.
Permanency Planning Group
6.1. The Permanency Planning Group meets on a monthly basis
and comprises
social services professional staff and legal representation.
6.2. Cases are referred from the “Looked After & Accommodated” Children’s
Review meeting. The main purpose of the group is to ensure that all avenues
have been explored in terms of rehabilitation with birth parents / step parents
or alternative family members.
6.3. Having read the relevant paperwork and engaged in a full discussion with the
social worker and team manager involved with the case the Permanency
Planning Group are then able to provide a recommendation, in terms of
progressing to adoption, Permanence Order, or Permanence Order with
authority to Adopt, to the Chairperson of the Looked After & Accommodated
Children’s Review.
Table
5
The
workload of the Permanency Planning Group has been as follows:
Year No. of cases where Adoption
was No. of cases where PO’s were Total
the Recommendation
the Recommendation
2010 17 12 29
2011 12 5 17
7. Advertising
7.1. Advertising in a variety of local media takes place generally twice per year. In
2011 emphasis for advertising campaigns was placed on highlighting the
needs of children
over two years of age, sibling groups and the children with a
disability.
7.2. It is intended that two advertising campaigns be mounted on an annual basis
specifically to recruit for adoptive and permanent carers. This is obviously in
conjunction with other advertising campaigns which are also ongoing
throughout the year, for example campaigns for older, more challenging
children
as well as children with issues who are harder to place.
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