AN EXCITING new partnership to provide high quality adoption services to children and families in Buckinghamshire has been announced.
Buckinghamshire Council has awarded the contract for its new regional adoption agency (RAA) partner to the adoption charity Parents And Children Together (PACT). The move is part of the Department for Education’s (DfE) regionalisation of adoption services in England.
The Buckinghamshire Adoption Partnership will bring together adoption professionals from both organisations to provide expertise and support for children, adoptive parents and adopted people.
Teams from both organisations are now working on establishing the partnership and combining each agency’s best practice as well as seeking feedback from adopters and adopted people to shape and influence the direction of the Buckinghamshire Adoption Partnership for its planned launch in January 2024.
Councillor Anita Cranmer, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for children’s services and education, said:
“We are delighted to be forming a partnership with PACT. We will be reaching out to ensure we bring together a collaborative RAA that will provide a high-quality service for our children, adopters, birth parents, adoptees and adopted adults.
“We look forward to our journey together and building on the skills and experience of our dedicated workforces.”
Natausha van Vliet, Chief Executive of PACT, said:
“PACT already has a strong history of working together with Buckinghamshire adoption colleagues. We are excited to have the opportunity to create a more formal partnership with them and to work together to create positive outcomes for adopted children in Buckinghamshire.
“PACT will continue to operate as an independent charity and Voluntary Adoption Agency, providing our adoption, adoption support and community based services across south and central England.
“We look forward to sharing and learning with Buckinghamshire as we develop the RAA together.”
Wes Cuell, Chair of PACT’s Executive Board, said:
“Ensuring that children who need adopting have what they need and are given the best opportunities to thrive is a priority for PACT and we know this is also central to Buckinghamshire Council’s adoption practices.
“As such, we were delighted to be selected to be Buckinghamshire Council’s partner to form a new Regional Adoption Agency together.
“Our shared values and child focus are great foundations on which to develop our partnership and achieve even better outcomes for the children and families in Buckinghamshire.“
The government’s regionalisation of adoption reforms was introduced in 2018 and was intended to reduce the number of agencies providing adoption services and to pool resources resulting in speedier matching of children with adoptive parents, a more diverse pool of adopters and an improved range of adoption support services.”
