Safeguarding

There is never a time when we do not think about safeguarding.

Safeguarding theme which runs through everything we do at Diagrama Adoption and we run annual safeguarding training for our team to ensure that we remain up to date about safe practices and new developments in the field.

Quality

The quality of Diagrama’s Adoption Service is monitored (and inspected) by a number of qualified professionals:

• The Adoption Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Adoption Service. Standards of care are measured and monitored against the Adoption National Minimum Standards 2014, National Adoption Standards for England, National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services 2011 and the UK National Standards for Foster Care. This is to ensure the standards are adhered to and the service is developing to meet the diverse needs of the children placed.
• The Adoption Service is inspected by Ofsted in accordance with regulation.
• Complaints and allegations received by Diagrama’s Adoption service are reviewed and considered individually at the time of receiving them. All complaints and allegations are taken seriously and reflection is made in regards to learning opportunities from this. Diagrama Adoption follows Working Together to Safeguard Children Guidance (2015) in managing complaints and allegations. In addition, complaints are reviewed on an annual basis; this also includes any allegations made about staff/carers.
• Diagrama Adoption works within a performance management and quality assurance culture. Statistical information, file audits, schedule 6 and 7 responsibilities and reviews of all work are embedded within the service. This includes the views of local authority social workers, children and young people looked after, adopters and their birth children where applicable. There is a real commitment to involving service users in the development of the service.
• The agency operates within clear guidelines for the supervision and accountability of staff which ensures the regular monitoring of services. It offers a programme of training and support to staff in carrying out their responsibilities and this is reviewed annually following the review of staff performance. The Board of Trustees and senior management receive information about the Adoption Service in the form of regular management reports which enables the effectiveness and outcomes to be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

As an organisation, Diagrama uses a variety of arrangements to monitor and evaluate the quality of its services.

These are:

• Reviewing and reporting mechanisms operating within the meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Finance Committee, HR Committee, Senior Management Team and Management.
• Formally requesting feedback from users of services.
• Regular supervision and appraisal of staff and panel members.
• Case-file audits by senior staff.
• Regular monthly, quarterly and annual management/progress reviews/reports.