In the Eastern Region, we are continuously building on our great foundations for regional collaboration. With all of the change and opportunities happening around us, including children’s social care reforms, SEND reforms and local government reorganisation, to name an important few, doing more across our regional footprint makes sense, especially when thinking about how we care for our children.  

I feel privileged to be chairing both Commission East and Adopt East for the region. Commission East is our approach to a regional care cooperative (RCC), bringing together all 11 local authorities (LAs) to help shape the care market in the region, ensuing our children receive the best care for them at a reasonable cost. We are in the early stages and are grateful for the advice and guidance of more established RCC’s to help us on our way. It’s fair to say we are seeing green shoots but is not an easy space to navigate. I hold onto the success of Adopt East which is now established and having a great impact for children and families, knowing that regional collaboration works for us. Ahead of national adoption week later this month, I hope you will indulge me in sharing this success with you.

Adopt East: Regional Collaboration in Adoption Services

Adopt East was officially launched in October 2020, following a complex journey toward formal agreement on the model. It is a regional adoption alliance comprising eight LAs - Suffolk County Council, Norfolk County Council, Southend City Council, Essex County Council, Thurrock Borough Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Luton Borough Council, and Bedford Borough Council - and two voluntary adoption agencies: Barnardo’s and Adoptionplus.

Rather than adopting the formal Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) model, the Adopt East partners chose a different path. We believed strongly that the benefits of regional collaboration could be achieved without separating adoption services from our LA children’s services. While the journey has not been without its challenges, we are proud of the collaborative relationships we have built under the Adopt East umbrella. Some of our regional initiatives have expanded to include Adoption Connects (Milton Keynes Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council) and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough RAA, where pan regional funding has been available.

Although this blog cannot fully capture the breadth of regional initiatives underway, I would like to highlight a few recent successes:

Craft and Play Events

These regular, child-focused events are held across the region to facilitate links between children awaiting adoption and prospective adopters. Attendees also have the opportunity to speak with foster carers, social workers, and other professionals. These events have proven particularly effective in identifying families for children with a range of needs. Coupled with our regional financial arrangements for managing placement costs, they have contributed to an increase in children being placed for adoption within the region.

Adopters Together Community Hubs

We currently operate eight community hubs across the region, with a ninth scheduled to launch later this year. These hubs transcend LA boundaries, fostering community-based, therapeutic support for adoptive families. Each hub is led by an experienced adoptive parent trained in a therapeutic parenting model and supported through regular supervision by a liaison social worker. Each hub supports eight to 10 families over a 12-to-18-month period, with therapeutic elements funded through the Adoption & Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). This year, Adopt East funded a new hub specifically designed to support families with children aged 10 and above. If this is successful, we plan to expand this model across the region.

Adopters Together Support Line

Launched in June, this peer support line provides early intervention for adoptive families. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Our partnership with Adoption UK has enabled families to access high-quality peer support without needing to rely solely on our stretched post-adoption support services.

ASGSF Pilot Programme

The East of England is one of two areas selected to pilot a new approach to delivering services under the ASGSF. This includes funding towards our regional hubs and commissioning non-violent resistance training at scale to reduce administrative burdens. Additional funding has allowed us to enhance support for adopted young people and their families. We are currently finalising the rollout of adolescent parenting support and piloting various therapeutic programmes across the region for adopted young people. Upcoming initiatives include:

• Sports and wellbeing group
• Psychoeducational group for young people aged 16+, focusing on trauma awareness and brain development
• Creative music and art groups developed in partnership with local organisations
• Activity fun days in two regional locations during October and February half-term holidays.

While our collaboration is still evolving, the strength of our partnerships and the success of our joint initiatives demonstrate the potential of regional cooperation. We remain committed to building on this foundation to improve outcomes for adopted children and their families across the Adopt East region and with our other East of England partners.