CVAA social value of adoption summaries and guidance

Following our publication of Sonnet’s social value of adoption report in December, CVAA has commissioned short summaries of the findings for specific audiences we want to influence most.

We are very pleased to be sharing those summary documents for VAAs to use in their local conversations with key stakeholders, and which CVAA will also be using to further conversations at a national level.

The documents are available to download here. They include:

• 4 short summaries targeted at the judiciary and legal professions, local authorities & social workers, the adoption sector, and national government
• An FAQ document giving example responses to questions people might ask
• Our press release summarising the full report, from December 2022.

Our ask to members

The social value of adoption analysis was a major investment for CVAA in the fight to show the many powerful benefits adoption provides, in the context of falling adoption numbers which presents a serious risk to VAA sustainability, as well as the future of the adoption sector altogether. It is therefore vital that VAAs feel confident to use this analysis to change opinions and influence decisions at a local level, in tandem with CVAA’s efforts at a national level.

As a first step, we are asking VAAs to send the summaries to the following people at a local level:

Judiciary summary: To local family justice boards and judge contacts – this page on the Nuffield website has a useful map of all the boards and the Designated Family Judges in each area.

Local government summary:

• To DCSs that your VAA works with, asking them to circulate to their managers and senior workforce – this page on the ADCS website has contact details for all DCSs
• Senior finance officers at LAs
• Local CAFCASS contacts
• Your local MP which you can find here.
• Your local lead Councillor for children’s services.

Adoption summary:

• To local RAA boards
• Agency Decision Makers.