Commissioning voluntary adoption agencies

This is the final report from independent research into the way local authorities commission voluntary adoption agencies, which the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) commissioned in September 2006.

The research was gathered from 16 local authorities and 18 voluntary adoption agencies during September and October last year. The DfES then met with voluntary adoption agencies in November 2006 and with local authorities in January 2007. Their responses have helped to shape the final report.

The report indicates that:

• Local authorities do not make good use of the potential of voluntary adoption agencies to provide approved prospective adopters
  
  
• There is a lack of joint working between local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies. This is making it difficult for agencies to plan the provision of their services to meet the needs of local authority commissioners
  
  
• The lack of joint working and poor local authority commissioning appears to be weakening the financial viability of voluntary adoption agencies. This could lead to the closure of some agencies.

Click to read guidance, tools and research relating to joint commissioning on this website.