Ofsted will conduct a thematic inspection of RAAs this year to
understand how key areas of adoption practice contribute to good
outcomes for children and others affected by adoption.
The highest proportion of adoption activity in England is now
undertaken by RAAs, following the move to a
regional delivery of adoption services in recent years. These
agencies undertake varying degrees of the recruitment,
assessment, training, approval and adoption support services on
behalf of a group of local authorities.
Read our guidance on ‘Thematic inspections of
regional adoption agencies’.
Most adoption practice in England is currently outside the scope
of inspection as Ofsted does not have powers to
inspect RAAs.
The thematic inspection will take place between October and
December 2023 and will consider:
- the effectiveness of the RAA’s recruitment, assessment,
family finding and matching practice in providing safe, child
focused and timely adoptive placements for children.
- the effectiveness of adoption support for adoptive families,
birth families and adopted adults.
- the extent to which the RAA leader understands the
service’s strengths and areas for development and their ability
to take decisive and effective action for improvement.
- the extent to which the views of those with a lived
experience of adoption inform service delivery and improvement.
- the extent to which the RAA governance
arrangements enable the RAA to deliver effective
services and provide the necessary assurance to member local
authorities and other RAA partners.
Ofsted will publish the findings from its thematic inspection in
spring 2024.
Yvette Stanley, National Director for Regulation and Social Care:
Adoption is one of several routes to a stable home. This thematic
will provide a level of assurance and a helpful insight into the
impact of adoption work delivered through regional models.
