Following a period of consultation with stakeholders a key priority identified by the board is to strengthen care planning and decision making for children to ensure all children have the highest quality care planning processes, systems, and structures and that they are all afforded the same opportunities for permanence regardless of where they live. A new work stream is to be launched in 2024 to focus on this: ‘Strengthening Permanency Planning’ (SPP). The SPP work stream will report into the board in the same way as Matching & EP and the board will provide support & challenge to the work stream.
The Child's Journey workstream is a key priority to strengthen care planning and decision making for children and to improve the quality and timeliness of information provided to adopters and children about the child’s history, birth family and care journey. The Child's journey board oversees the workstreams that have a direct impact on the child's adoption journey. Currently, the Early Permanence work stream and Linking and Matching work stream report to the board on a regular basis.
The Child’s Journey Board
The Child’s Journey Board is made up of sector representatives from local authorities, regional adoption agencies, the judiciary and voluntary adoption agencies with the goal to improve the child's journey through the adoption process. The membership is reviewed regularly to the ensure that the stakeholders and agencies involved in the child’s journey to adoption are represented on the board.
The board provides support to projects and workstreams involved in aspects of the child’s journey through adoption and also challenges aspects that may require improvement.