Inspection report identifies strengths and priority areas for improvement at North Wales Adoption Service
CIW inspection finds thorough adopter assessments and valued support services at North Wales Adoption Service, while identifying improvement needed in governance, quality assurance and records management.
Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) has published its findings following an inspection of North Wales Adoption Service (NWAS) conducted between 13 October and 17 October 2025. The inspection, which focused on how the service promotes the well-being and safety of children through permanent adoptive placements, identified both strengths and priority areas for improvement.
North Wales Adoption Service is the regional adoption collaborative serving Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and Wrexham.
Strengths identified
CIW inspectors found assessments of prospective adopters to be thorough, addressing safeguarding and risk management. The service provides comprehensive training and preparation for adopters, with bilingual resources available. Many adopters told us they felt respected and supported by social workers, with information provided in a timely and accessible manner. Most adopters feel supported to understand the potential impact of adverse childhood experiences.
Family finding and matching processes prioritise children's needs, with collaborative planning supporting positive outcomes.
Adoption support services are valued by families and practitioners. They demonstrate a strong commitment to the Welsh language and accessibility, with information and support routinely available in Welsh and English. Practitioners promote the active offer in line with the 'More Than Just Words' framework, ensuring people can access services in Welsh.
The service delivers intermediary services that support adopted adults and birth relatives to understand their histories and access information. Practitioners demonstrate skill and sensitivity in managing complex histories. NWAS has appointed a ‘life journey work’ social worker who provides effective guidance and quality assurance to practitioners.
Panel arrangements are good, with diverse expertise evident among members. The service benefits from a dedicated and skilled workforce of practitioners who value their line managers and feel supported. Practitioners receive regular supervision with a strong emphasis on staff well-being.
Priority areas for improvement
The inspection identified priority areas for improvement. NWAS applies National Adoption Service (NAS) policies and guidance, but these are not yet fully embedded across the service. The depth of analysis in assessments and integration of therapeutic parenting approaches is inconsistent.
Access to adoption support services and quality are variable, with waiting lists affecting some families. Some adopters experience significant delays progressing their assessments, sometimes over six months, due to limited availability of practitioners to undertake assessments or administrative processes.
Adoption support plans often reflect children's needs at the point of adoption and are regularly reviewed, but do not consistently consider future and evolving needs.
The Regional Management Board lacks sufficient representation from senior leaders with decision-making authority from all local authorities and key partners, leading to delays in decision-making. Variations in local practice affect consistency and quality, with the lack of a unified approach to support, decision-making, and quality assurance leading to inconsistent experiences.
NWAS has limited quality assurance measures, with the frequency and consistency of audits unclear. There is no NWAS-specific record management policy, and the service is currently unable to identify where all adoption records are stored, which must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Next steps
CIW requires that NWAS compile an improvement plan outlining how they will address the findings in the report. CIW will review progress through a meeting with the Head of Children's Services and the Regional Adoption Manager within 18-24 months of publication of the report.
For all our findings and recommendations, read the full inspection report available on the page linked below.