Issue - meetings

To consider  a memorandum of understanding which is  a draft agreement reached between the boroughs of Haringey, Islington, Camden, Enfield and Barnet with the  purpose of meeting the placement needs of North London children and young people.

The committee considered a draft agreement which had been compiled between the London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington on forming a North London adoption and fostering consortium, NLAFC, to meet the fostering and adoption placement needs of North London children and young people.   The agreement was the result of the 5 boroughs informally working together on foster care over a number of years. The agreement was not a legally binding contractual relationship between the NLAFC members but a document which set out how the five boroughs will work together on common interest areas such as training, publicity, shared placements and sharing panels on fostering and adoption. The consortium would also work in a cost effective way. The NLAFC programme manager would be employed and based in Haringey. The Council would make a reduced financial contribution to reflect the reasonable administration costs it incurs in managing the finances of the NLAFC and producing annual statement of accounts. The committee noted that this agreement does not enable a joint procurement of services, this maybe a future objective, but allows the consortium to look at Independent Fostering Agency placements and the reasons why some boroughs make an increased financial contribution compared to others. It was likely that economies of scale can be developed further and more strongly in this area with the 5 boroughs working together. 

RESOLVED

1. That the committee note the agreement.

2. That the work of the NLAFC consortium is a standing item on the matters arising report considered at each committee meeting.

3. That a follow up report be considered by the committee in 6 months time.