Inspection finds strengths and areas for improvement in South East Wales Adoption Service

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) carried out an inspection of South East Wales Adoption Service (SEWAS) between 30 June and 3 July 2025. SEWAS is a regional collaborative made up of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen local authorities, and forms part of the National Adoption Service for Wales.

The inspection focused on how well the service promotes the wellbeing and safety of children through permanent adoptive placements, evaluated the quality of care and support provided to children, birth families and adopters, as well as leadership and governance arrangements.

What we found

Inspectors found that SEWAS is a child-focused service with a strong sense of purpose and visible leadership. Practitioners were described as committed, knowledgeable and inclusive, with a clear understanding of safeguarding responsibilities. The service benefits from a stable and experienced workforce, and there is a strong ethos of partnership working with birth families and adopters.

Assessments of prospective adopters were found to be robust and analytical, with a clear focus on children’s needs. Adoption panels were well-run and supported by legal and medical advice, and the service’s training offer. Panels included contributions from adoptive parents and birth parent support workers and were praised by both practitioners and adopters.

Adoption support services were also highlighted as a strength. These include psychology-led interventions, peer support groups and therapeutic approaches such as Theraplay. One adoptive parent described the support as “invaluable”, and inspectors noted that these services contribute to placement stability.

However, the inspection also identified several areas for improvement.

What needs to improve

The recruitment of adopters remains a significant concern. Despite visible efforts, SEWAS has not yet built a sufficient pool of adopters to meet the diverse and complex needs of children. Delays in appointing a recruitment officer and the absence of a dynamic, regularly reviewed marketing strategy were contributing factors.

Matching processes, while supported by trauma-informed tools, were not always timely or consistent. Inspectors found variability in the use of tools such as Link Maker and in the quality of Child Adoption Reports. Some delays in progressing cases to panel were also noted.

The inspection also found that the Welsh language ‘Active Offer’ is not consistently promoted, and that some key documents do not fully meet regulatory requirements. While information is generally accessible, translated materials are often only provided on request.

Next steps

Care Inspectorate Wales has asked South East Wales Adoption Service to submit an improvement plan outlining how they will address the findings in the report. This plan will be used to measure progress and shape the focus of future inspections.

For all our findings and recommendations, read the full inspection report available on the page linked below.