Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 ## **Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies UK Ltd (CVAA)** **Registered charity number** 1108318 **Company Number** 5275491 ## **Registered Office** C/o ARC, Unit 29, The Business Innovation Centre, Wearside, Sunderland, SR5 2TA ## _**Contents**_ |1. Chair’s Report|3| |---|---| |2. Treasurer’s Report|5| |3. Strategic Report – CVAA Activities and Achievements 2020-21|7| |4. Celtic Nations’ Report|13| |5. Trustees Annual Report|16| |6. CVAA Members|22| |7. Independent Examiner’s Report|23| |8. Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2021|24| |9. Balance Sheet 31 March 2021|25| |10. Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2021|26| |11. Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2021 32|| _**Chair’s Report 2021-22**_ Looking back over the two years I have chaired the Board of Trustees of CVAA I am struck by the amount of change in our part of the adoption system and reminded of the need to ensure that this doesn’t deflect us from our core purpose: to provide stable, permanent families for children in need. Last year I wrote about the impact of Covid on the Family Justice and Care Planning systems and the challenges being tackled. A quick review of the data that has been published recently shows no sign of a “recovery” in respect of the numbers of children for whom adoption is seen as the best choice, nor for the children with more complex needs who have been waiting longest. Putting it bluntly, whilst the Government’s Adoption Strategy appears to have had limited success in increasing the numbers of adopters, it has had no impact on decisionmaking in local authorities; and the Family Justice system is buckling under the strain it faces, with performance on timeliness receding further with each report. The Government’s Care Review, led by Josh McAllister, is virtually silent on adoption and it is difficult to see how its recommendations about changes in structures, processes and culture will have positive impact in the foreseeable future. In the meantime, individual members of CVAA will need to remain agile and adaptable if they are to remain viable: Faith in Families, based in Nottingham and founded in 1948, merged with Adoption Focus and took with them their experience of delivering pioneering trauma informed social work in schools. But unless there is a significant shift in local authority decision-making, adaptability and agility will not be enough to ensure the continued existence of all VAAs. CVAA will always need to find ways of ensuring that the national and international adoption systems are doing their best for children, and that the conditions exist to enable individual agencies to make their contribution. But it is equally important to retain our focus on supporting our members in their priorities, whether innovating and developing excellence in practice, or finding ways to become more resilient as organisations. To this end, the practice programme, led by Petra Jodlova, has continued to adapt and develop and has seem even more take-up than last year. Also, last November’s annual conference in Chester – a hybrid event building on the best of remote contributions and interpersonal contact – was a great success and provided a fitting setting for the sector’s goodbye to Norman Goodwin a “founder member” of CVAA, longstanding trustee and outstanding leader of Adoption Matters, who retired in the new year. Which brings me to some of the changes we have seen in the last year. At a national level a new minister, Will Quince, and chair of ASGLB, Krish Kandiah have taken up their roles; within CVAA we have said goodbye to staff members Sam Mercadante and Barbara Hoyte – both of whom made major contributions to our work - and welcomed Natausha Van Vliet and Anna Sharkey on to the Board and Alice Talbot to our staff team. So, plenty of opportunity to harness the enthusiasm that comes with being new and build fresh perspectives into our work, all of which the indefatigable Maggie Jones will no doubt manage without missing a beat – as ever. So CVAA’s biggest challenge in the coming year, on behalf of children who need permanent families, is to become more effective in changing the national system. The evidence supporting adoption from care is still as strong as it ever was, but clearly, child-centred evidence is not enough. We need to find more ways of influencing the way decisions are taken, and to this end CVAA commissioned a piece of work to quantify the range of benefits that flow from investment in adoption: the “social return” as well as the impact on a child’s life. We will be using this report in the summer and autumn to find ways of turning national performance back in the right direction and will continue to press all our partners in the national system: the team at DfE and the ASGLB, the ADCS and RAA leadership, the judiciary and local delivery partners, to keep improving adoption firmly in their sights. 3 | P a g e Andrew Webb **Chair of CVAA** June 2022 4 | P a g e ## _**1. Treasurer’s Report**_ The last financial year saw us all trying to adapt to whatever the new norm was meant to be whether that was socially or in terms of our working practices and routines. In that respect, CVAA was no different to any other agency and in that transition, attention was paid to what new initiatives worked well and should be maintained and what old practices were missed and should be resurrected. This approach has I believe resulted in CVAA having another solid financial outcome as reflected in the year end accounts. Once again we have a surplus to report this year of £10,587. Although this is less than last year it has resulted from continued efficiency savings through personnel changes, through home working and the continued use of virtual opportunities, saving on salaries and above all from the tremendous contribution made by the Practice Programme which seems to go from strength to strength and for which Petra must take a great deal of credit. In the months ahead, the board together with the staff team will need to consider if some of the savings made are to be seen as permanent ones and if so, what working arrangements should be in place going forward throughout the next financial year. In order to maintain the high level of service and support that members have come to expect and enjoy from the CVAA team, the board have to consider regularly the income generation streams that are at our disposal. Our main source of funding comes from membership fees. We know how much financial pressure all agencies are under, and we are extremely grateful that continued membership has been given a priority by member agencies and that the annual inflationary rise has been accommodated. However, we have lost a couple of member agencies this year due to mergers, which we fully appreciate may be the best outcome for the agencies concerned, but if this pattern continues or indeed some agencies close, it will require the Board, in conjunction with members, to consider CVAA’s longer term sustainability. The Practice Programme is our primary mechanism for offsetting any loss of membership fees and consideration has been given by the board to investment in this area to support the work that Petra Jodlova does and to facilitate any possible expansion of the programme. The Board have also taken the view that we need to exploit the two recent successful financial years that CVAA have had, in accruing some substantial reserves. This will be done by undertaking a low-risk investment strategy that will hopefully bring in a further income for the organisation whilst at the same time ensuring that there is easy access to funds to meet our liabilities should the need arise. To this end, new reserves and investments policies have been ratified by the board on behalf of members. So, a busy year ahead. As usual there are several people to thank for their support throughout the year: Once again, our accounts required an independent examination at the year-end rather than a full audit. This was carried out by Paul Woodburn from the auditors Wallwork, Nelson and Johnson. I would like to thank Paul for his thorough oversight of our accounts and for the resulting reports which outline that the accounts produced were a true and fair view of the Charitable Company’s affairs and can be presented for approval to the members as such at the Annual General Meeting of members on 13th September 2022. Thanks also go to Trevor Hogg from our accountants TPA Accountancy for helping to keep us on track throughout the year and to Lisa Parkin at ARC Adoption NE who has once again been fastidious when it comes to paying our bills and ensuring our income arrives in a timely fashion. 5 | P a g e I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous support of the Finance Sub-Committee whose challenge and advice has been invaluable throughout the year and to Maggie who routinely maintains a shrewd eye on our financial health. Lastly, but not least, I would like to thank our members for their unwavering support, I have already referenced your acceptance of the increase in membership fee this year, but I think your support of the Practice Programme and your contribution to its delivery is worthy of mention too. I am sure this reflects the value that we all see in our membership and the gratitude we have for the phenomenal service we receive from the CVAA team. There will no doubt be fresh challenges in the year ahead for us all, but we are fortunate to have CVAA in a strong position to guide us through these and to help us develop both as individual agencies and as partners to better serve the children and families who need the first-class services you all provide. Terry Fitzpatrick **Treasurer** June 2022 6 | P a g e ## _**2. Strategic Report – CVAA Activities and Achievements 2021-22**_ The voluntary adoption sector continues to do wonderful work with children and families across the UK in a very challenging environment. Agencies and adoptive families continue to face difficulties arising from the impact of the Covid epidemic on the courts, social care and education services. CVAA has worked through the year to keep members fully informed of, at times, rapidly changing policy and practice through our weekly updates and bringing members together for peer support and practice development opportunities through the Practice Programme. Agencies have begun to move slowly to delivering more face to face services through the year, with the majority of support of adopters still being delivered through virtual means. The CVAA staff team and Board of Trustees have remained focussed on providing the best possible support to members through this turbulent year, ensuring government was aware of the impressive achievements of VAAs and their challenges in maintaining the vital work of finding forever homes for the children who need them. ## _**Achievements against priorities set for 2021-22**_ Alongside our members, and all organisations working for children and families, CVAA has had to change its plans for the year and respond flexibly to the challenges of the pandemic. Trustees have kept the organisation’s delivery plan and aspirations of 21[st] Century Adoption under regular review, placing some areas on hold to create capacity to work with members and government on recovery from the pandemic and its impact on adoption services across the UK. CVAA has continued to provide an effective and authoritative voice for VAAs, advocating for the sector, influencing government and other key decision-makers across the social care system. Our priorities for 2021-22 included: ## **1.Building support across the membership and with partners for the changes identified in our 21[st] Century Adoption Position paper.** There are still many systemic concerns to be tackled if adoption is to continue to provide a positive permanency option for 21[st] century children who cannot safely grow up in their birth families. The CVAA report, _**21[st] Century Adoption**_ sets out four key themes that must be addressed in order to modernise adoption and work has progressed this year building alliances and highlighting the need for change. - **i. A 21[st] century adoption system with structures and processes that are collaborative, fit for purpose, and put children’s needs at the centre.** - CVAA has worked with ADCS, the RAA leaders’ group and Celtic nations to build connections and collaboration, supporting cross sector and intercountry learning. We have provided robust challenge to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board (ASGLB) in England on the performance data which shows a decline in timely placement for the most vulnerable children. We have also worked with others in the voluntary sector to create new structures for birth families, adopters and adopted people to meaningfully contribute to ASGLB debates and the work of the National Adopter Recruitment Steering Group. - ii. **Serving 21[st] century children by ensuring that every child has a permanent family.** - CVAA has commissioned a social return on investment study (SROI) to help build consensus across children’s social care and the courts on the benefits of adoption and the children for whom adoption is the best permanency plan. We have prepared submissions to the English Care Review, the Lords committee reviewing the 2014 Children’s Act and to the Northern Ireland government on their proposals for children’s service reform. In all cases CVAA has stressed the life changing value of the permanency adoption provides for trauma experienced children and the strong outcomes for adopted children compared with their care experienced peers. Reversals are increasing in all 7 | P a g e countries of the UK alongside waiting times for children who have the most complex needs. This is especially worrying given the many adopters who are also waiting longer to be matched with children. CVAA and many VAAs contributed to an analysis of the 100 adopters and children waiting the longest to be matched in England and the learning about barriers and process which inhibit effective movement through the system will be used to structure reforms which we hope will benefit VAA families. - **iii. Supporting 21[st] century families through strengthening the contribution that both permanent and birth families make to children’s development.** This year we have worked alongside members, researchers and sector leaders to develop ideas for a UK wide service which supports adopted people of all ages in maintaining the important relationships from their early lives. The evidence for the befits this has on identify and security for adopted people is overwhelming and the latest research from Dr Harriet Ward was discussed with great interest and enthusiasm at the CVAA conference in November 2021. This will be an important priority for the year ahead. - iv. **Building 21[st] century permanence support by ensuring that every child and family receives the right support at the right time.** CVAA worked with members to produce a set of practical proposals for improving access for VAA families to the Adoption Support Fund in England. We have also supported strong VAA representation on the RAA working group on Early help and adoption support ensuring the experiences of VAAs and their families are central in decision making. Adoption support continues to be a key concern for VAAs across the UK as the complexities of the children placed increase, so do their ongoing support needs. CVAA will continue the work begun this year with members, adopters, adoptees and partners to build consensus about the need for change and pressure for action to modernise adoption so we can better meet the needs and aspirations of vulnerable children and their families today and in the years to come. ## **2.Supporting members to work together across the UK overcoming the isolation imposed by Covid restrictions and developing new collaborations.** Alongside the new CEO Forum and the many joint working groups with others across the wider adoption sector CVAA has continued to facilitate the Marketing Group supporting them to make best use of the mystery shopping exercise undertaken for all VAAs and RAAs in England and share best practice in recruiting families willing to provide loving homes for children with more complex needs. At the request of the CEO Forum, the group have planned a VAA recruitment campaign for April 2022 where 12 agencies are collaborating to profile some inspiring adopter stories, encouraging others to come forward. CVAA has facilitated VAA representation on a total of 11 working groups attached to the National Recruitment campaign, RAA leaders’ group and ASGLB as well as supporting representation the main cross sector boards. Collaborations with RAAs have been showcased at events to promote EPP and taking a more proactive approach to finding forever families for black and minoritized children who continue to wait longer than their peers. The Celtic nations have continued to meet to provide peer support and also to ensure that learning can be shared across al the nations of the UK for the benefit of children and families. Planned work with the judiciary had to be postponed due to limited capacity and this will be a priority for the year ahead, following the publication of the English Care Review and the outcome of the Public Law Working Group on adoption. ## **3.Consolidating the data programme and delivery of the first comprehensive Sector Data report** Although our data work has been hampered by staff changes this year, we nevertheless less delivered the first comprehensive sector wide report on the children placed by VAAs in 20/21 on time in June 2021. 8 | P a g e Further work has taken place with data colleagues across the membership in achieving greater consistency of reporting and analysing the data to begin to establish trends and support forward planning for agencies. The data group has met on a regular basis and worked together t make best use of the data processing programmes used by most members and translating sector data with that produced by the government. Work has also taken place with Celtic members to ensure that next year their data can be fully incorporated into the data collection and analysis to give a rounded picture of VAA activity across the whole of the UK. This is a vital resource to underpin CVAA’s lobbying and influencing work. Members have also contributed to CVAA mini surveys on the number of adopters waiting and the length of time they are waiting for a match, post approval and to joint surveys with RAAs on adoption support, the adopter preparation process and the development of Early Permanence Placements. ## **4.Expanding and developing our support for learning and practice exchange across the sector** In March 2022, the practice programme completed another successful year of practice events surpassing the projected income in the business plan 2019-2022. Over the past three years, CVAA has built a strong, selfsustainable learning programme for adoption professionals and a reliable business stream that generates a small profit for the organisation. CVAA’s practice programme continues to offer benefits to members and maintains its wider reputational advantages. The practice programme’s strategic objectives are summarised below: - The contribution the programme makes in achieving CVAA’s charitable objectives; influencing policy and practice, promoting liaison, collaboration and partnership working and developing standards of excellence - Enhancing and increasing the membership offer in supporting members to provide high quality staff development, enhancing their reputations, staff retention and Ofsted ratings - Future positioning of CVAA as being at the forefront of best practice and improving the quality of services to children and families - To diversify the funding base of CVAA A new business plan for 2022 to 2025 has been developed this year and agreed by trustees. The plan builds on the past successes of the programme, proposes the development of new products for members and draws a three-year projection to ensure that the programme continues to improve, delivering a greater range of learning opportunities for members and the wider adoption sector. Trustees have agreed to the appointment of a part time post to support Petra Jodlova in this expansion of the practice programme - Between April 2019 and March 2022 CVAA delivered **93 practice events** . 55 practice sharing workshops, 33 expert-led training sessions and 5 evidence-based seminars. - Between April 2019 and March 2022, CVAA significantly expanded the practice programme audience. In three years, CVAA increased attendance at practice events from 261 participants in 2019 to nearly **1,300 participants** in 2022 – **an increase of 400%.** - Sustainable reductions in running costs have been achieved due to the success of online delivery. - CVAA have developed a large pool of dedicated senior practitioners willing to offer their expertise pro bono. In three years, CVAA increased the membership participation in the programme delivery from 8 members in 2019 to 21 members (80%) in 2022. We have received excellent feedback on how our practice webinars are managed and delivered. Adoption practitioners appreciate the easy access to a great variety of topics and the opportunity to network which was vital when restrictions on social gathering due to Covid-19 were in force. After two years of delivering the Practice Programme virtually, we are confident that most practice events will remine online, since it is extremely cost-effective, affordable, and easily accessible for our audience of adoption social workers managing busy caseloads whist being keen to learn and develop their practice. 9 | P a g e ## _**Membership services**_ In 2021-22 we have continued to extend our support to members through the Practice Programme and also by the expansion of our policy and information service, and continuation of key membership events. In addition, this year we have coordinated a CEO Forum, bringing together VAA leaders for peer support and to tackle common concerns at a time when meeting in person was still very restricted. Members have greatly appreciated the opportunity to share experiences, collectively respond to government proposals and plan together, combatting the isolation many have experienced over the past two years. We have continued the weekly bulletins to ensure members are kept fully briefed on the rapidly changing wider policy environment across the UK and our monthly newsletters provide an easily accessible way for members to stay informed about policy developments in adoption, the wider permanency landscape, and the voluntary sector. We have continued to strengthen CVAA’s online presence through a major redevelopment of our website, including an improved members area, increased use of Twitter and the introduction of blog posts. These initiatives enable CVAA to better promote the value of adoption, the achievements of member agencies, the excellent services they offer families, and the work of CVAA on members’ behalf. The chair of the ASGLB Krish Kandiah addressed the CVAA AGM, a well attended virtual event with positive discussions about the need to promote the value of adoption at the same time as instituting reforms in the best interest of children. The annual conference was held in Chester in November 2021, with speakers attending virtually from the USA, research on adoption outcomes in Australia and wonderful contributions from adopted people contributing to an inspiring event. VAA leaders debated system change and practice issues that are central to modernising adoption for the 21[st] century, including lifelong identity, relationships with and support for birth family members. VAAs committed the sector to developing new ways to make ongoing relationships more meaningful, preparing adopters to support their children with greater face to face birth family contact in the years ahead. ## _**Interagency fee**_ The Interagency fee rose again in line with CPIH inflation from 1[st] April 2022 to help keep pace with the rising costs of placements. Local authorities and RAAs have all paid the new rate, and, after lobbying by CVAA, both the ADCS and LGA recommended that the fee should be paid at the point of match to support the cash flow position of VAAs. Local authorities all make their own arrangements for payments, but over half of them have paid on match on at least one occasion. The level playing field is now re-established in Scotland and Wales. In England, CVAA continues to work with RAAs, ADCS, and the LGA to argue robustly for the level playing field and stress the negative impact on the most vulnerable children of delays caused by consecutive decision-making which seeks to minimise placement cost. It is hoped that the Social Return on investment study commissioned by CVAA this will evidence a strong case for the cost effectiveness of interagency placement alongside the wider benefits to children, families and society. ## _**Lobbying and influencing**_ CVAA has maintained regular communication with officials and Ministers, meeting fortnightly at the start of the year and then monthly with the DfE adoption team along with writing regularly to Ministers to ensure that they are taking account of the voluntary adoption sector’s essential work in their response the pandemic and future planning for adoption. 10 | P a g e We facilitated a robust response from members to the DfE Adoption Strategy and have worked closely with RAA leaders on the DfE-funded national recruitment campaign which this year had a focus on the recruitment of families for children who because of their age, disability, race or being part of a sibling group wait longer find their permanent home. VAA adopters were central to the campaign and the CVAA CEO and trustees who represent the sector on the National Recruitment Steering Group continue to play an active part in ensuring that the campaign takes full account of the voluntary sector’s expertise and perspective. CVAA have also made the case for a cross sector coherent approach to data sharing and strategic development within the Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board (ASGLB) where CVAA have continued to play an active role ensuring that the experience and expertise of VAAs was recognised and the pressure on adoptive families placed high on the Board’s agenda. VAAs have made strong contributions to the working groups set up by ASGLB on adoption support, cutting waiting times and tackling the disparities faced by minoritized adopters, children and young people. Regular meetings have been held with Ofsted to feed back front line experience of the service changes needed to respond to the ongoing impact of Covid 19 and continue to support adoptive families. CVAA have stressed the quality of support and adopter preparation VAAs deliver and ensured that members were informed of any additional guidance from Ofsted on safeguarding and requirements for safety of the workforce. CVAA initiated the establishment of the new Adoption Leaders Forum in England, bringing together VAA and RAA leaders to address issues of joint concern, such as the fall in the number of children with adoption as their plan. A joint event is planned for May 2022 to promote collaboration and establish positive working relationship across all regions. Over the course of 2021-22, too many children continued waiting for too long to be placed with their forever families. In England, as of 31 December 2021: - There were 1,890 children waiting with a placement order waiting to be matched - 1,000 children had been waiting longer than 18 months, and there has been an increase in the proportion of children with ‘harder to place’ characteristics waiting However, VAAs continued to work as hard as ever to place and support a large minority of these children: - As of 31 December 2021, VAAs in England had placed 390 children – 18% of all children placed in the first three quarters of 2021-22 - VAAs in England approved 550 adopters in the first 3 quarters of the year – 24% of all adopters approved in that time, and an increase of 1% from the previous year Based on the available data, the year-on-year decline in ADM decisions, placement orders, and adoption orders appears to have continued in 2021-22. CVAA has been actively involved in discussions at a national level to understand the complex dynamics that are driving this and develop proposals for action, alongside working with the courts to address the worrying reduction in permanency orders of all kinds granted during the year. 11 | P a g e ## _**Priorities for the year ahead**_ 2021-22 did not see the return to pre-pandemic placement levels on adoption we had all hoped for and unprecedented levels of uncertainty for VAAs has continued. CVAA will continue to work closely with members and external partners to identify and tackle risks and challenges and do all we can to ensure that agencies can continue to provide critical services to children and families. Placements are still delayed from the pandemic and fewer children than ever are being considered for adoption, so there is much to do in the coming year to affirm adoption as a positive life-enhancing choice for children who cannot return to their birth families. The child care system is not currently operating in the best interests of children so CVAA will be taking every opportunity to work across the system to tackle waiting times and the other barriers which stand in the way of children finding the permanent loving homes they deserve with adoptive families. In the year ahead, our priorities will include: **1. Developing the vision and debate on maintaining important relationships for adopted children, young people and adults through a new national service.** **2. Challenging the fall in children with adoption as their permanency plan, working in partnership with others across the UK.** **3. Championing the benefits of adoption through publication of a new social return on investment study.** **4. Developing new opportunities for learning and development for colleagues across the adoption sector.** VAAs continue to put children at the heart of all they do, bringing huge commitment, skill and dedication to the children and families they serve. The sector is finding forever homes for some of our most vulnerable children, keeping siblings together, recruiting adopters from across all communities and creating positive futures for so many families. The continuity of care and support provided by VAAs to their families is needed more than ever as the profile of children adopted becomes increasingly complex, and the impact f the pandemic continues to affect education and mental health for so many children. CVAA remain hugely proud of our sector, as every day we see our principles and values being put into practice with such positive impact on the lives of so many vulnerable children and families. CVAA will continue to do all we can to support this vital work and I am hugely grateful to the CVAA staff team and Trustee Board for their unstinting support, without which none of the work outlined above would have been possible. Each child who finds a permanent loving adoptive family to support their journey through life makes all our work worthwhile and makes an immeasurable difference, not just to their lives but to all our futures. Maggie Jones **Chief Executive Officer** June 202 12 | P a g e ## _**3. Celtic Nations’ Report**_ There have been two meetings of the Celtic Nations agencies over the past 12 months; October 2021 and March 2022. Both meetings were conducted virtually and chaired respectively by Maggie McSorley Family Care Adoption Services and Wendy Keidan St. David’s Children Society. The membership of the CVAA Celtic Nations group has included Margaret Moyes, Scottish Adoption, Paula Harkins, St. Margaret’s C&F Care Society, Wendy Keidan, St. David’s Children’s Society, Stephen Small, St. Andrew’s Children’s Society, Maggie McSorley Family Care Adoption Services and Sue Brunton, Barnardo’s. There has been recent personnel change in the group with the pending retirement of Margaret Moyes and the appointment of Sue Brunton to CEO of Scottish Adoption. On behalf of the group, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Margaret for her sterling contribution at the Celtic Nations meetings and we wish her a long and very happy retirement. We look forward to welcoming Sue in her new role as CEO of Scottish Adoption and a new member joining the group from Barnardo’s. We have also very much appreciated the support from Maggie Jones who provides information and guidance on matters impacting across all four nations. Through wise counsel she has assisted us drawing together common themes across the UK nations as well as areas of diversification in response to individual national trends and priorities whilst always having the child central to any strategic policy direction. This theme of cohesion amongst the nations was very much central to the meeting in October with discussions on the 21[st] century policy agenda. Some of these discussions were about the modernisation of contact and the proposal of a national support service. Views and experiences of the Celtic nations were sought and summarized below - .In Northern Ireland, there is an expectation that contact is maintained but there are no standards or protocols to support this - Sibling contact is a legal requirement in Scotland but without sufficient support it can be challenging to maintain those relationships. - Digital contact can be positive but support is required to assist young people and parents - Historically St. Andrews managed contact arrangements for all their families but this was resource heavy and it is now their expectation that contact would be managed by the Local Authority that placed the child unless they specifically contracted this to St. Andrew’s. - Contact needs to be well resourced in the longer term to promote confidence that support will be provided when needed for all parties. It also needs to be flexible according to evolving needs. There were merits expressed about a UK wide service but realistic implementation of this could be challenging, including issues on funding. - Voice of the service user is essential when establishing a sustainable national contact service. The strategic priority objectives of CVAA identified in the CVAA strategy ambitions remained a theme in the second meeting of the Celtic Nations in March and their relevance to the policy and practice environments in the three Countries was debated. The focus of the discussions primarily centred on Ambition 1 – sustainability. Family Care Adoption in Northern Ireland commented on the challenges faced by the lack of statutory leads willing to engage with the sector or recognise the value of the VAA’s within this. Payments for placements fall well below the agreed IAF. There is a degree of hope that the new Children’s plan and adoption legislation may provide opportunities to stimulate a strategic discussion about the role and value of VAA’s. In Scotland, the Promise may have unintentionally created a barrier to adoption as the plan for children, with emphasis on birth family contact. The policy for siblings to live together can result in all children within a family being placed in foster care if the oldest child is deemed too old to be adopted. 13 | P a g e In Wales the National Adoption Service and CAFASS have commenced work on the decline in the numbers of children being placed for adoption with concern about a transient child care workforce and lack of expertise in permanency planning. The differing experiences of managing historical ‘forced’ adoption was discussed in the group. All agencies have had historic involvement in adoption, some over 100 years. Family Care Adoption Services has noted an increase in its usual enquiry numbers in relation to historic adoptions which appears to have been stimulated to a significant extent by the publication of a research report into historical Mother and Baby Homes and the subsequent media interest generated by this. It was noted that each Nation was conducting an Independent Inquiry and all Agencies welcome this. The Northern Ireland Assembly intend to establish a statutory enquiry to look at both Mother and Baby Home practices in the past and their link to ‘forced adoptions’ which is also very likely to act on the research report recommendations for a redress board. Once outcomes and recommendations are published from the other Nations (England and Wales will be combined given timing of devolution) the Celtic Nations have agreed to work alongside CVAA to make a collective response. The following is a summary of activity of each Country and their representative Agency/ Agencies over the past 12 months. ## **Northern Ireland represented by Family Care Adoption Service:** The new Adoption and Children Bill passed its final stage in the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2022 which when enacted will reform the landscape. Adoption legislation has not been updated in Northern Ireland since 1987 and the new bill will mirror changes introduced in England and Wales in 2002 and in Scotland in 2007. In particular, the Bill will mandate Post Adoption support, enhance a focus on the paramountcy of the child’s welfare and the rights of the child in the context of adoption and attempt to tackle delay by the removal of Freeing as a process and the introduction of Placement Orders. The Bill also introduces Special Guardianship to Northern Ireland and makes a number of arrangements to improve support for children in and leaving care. In terms of Family Care Adoption Services, this has continued to be a challenging year. Significant delays in court and care planning decisions have resulted in a 50% reduction in projected placement activity. Family Care continue to deliver its Life Story Project which is funded by the Lottery Community Fund until 2024. One year budget setting by Government makes planning on guaranteed income and contract delivery hugely challenging. ## **Scotland represented by St. Andrews Children Society, Scottish Adoption, Barnardo’s and St. Margaret’s** A review of the Care system in Scotland with emphasis on maintaining birth family connections could unintentionally detract from adoption as the right plan for children. This debate is a circular one that emerges periodically. The Voluntary Adoption Agencies have exerted influence on the research evidence about adoption having the best permanency outcome for children unable to live with birth families. Relationships between VAAs and local authority colleagues is good and this has resulted in a widespread acceptance of the IAF and the annual increases. The Scottish Government shows leadership by, every March, writing to all adoption agencies outlining the increases in the IAF that have been agreed (in line with the consumer Price Index) and urging that they are adhered to. This has had one, major, positive effect – that the IAF is not perceived to be ‘owned’ by either sector (public or voluntary) and therefore is not contentious. It is also hoped that the Care Review will give impetus to the long-standing issue related to the involvement of The Children’s Hearing System in permanency planning. This often results, for many children, in their plans, in effect, being scrutinised by two legal processes consecutively with the concomitant delay in achieving permanence for them. The unintended benefit of this however, means that all adopters in Scotland are also approved as foster carers to allow children to be placed with them on a fostering basis until they are legally able to be adopted. 14 | P a g e ## **Scottish Adoption** There has been a slight decrease in placement activity which may result in a small variance to year end targets. Scottish Adoption has recently appointed a new practice manger, new CEO and five new Trustees thus internally going through a period of change. Work with young people is reaping huge benefits with young adoption people as adoption ambassadors who facilitate the group. A bid was recently submitted to support birth parents who have lost children to the care system. ## **St. Andrew’s Children Society** The timing of placements has impacted on reaching year end targets but some excellent results in fundraising have contributed to a good year end position. St Andrew’s are also soon to purchase a new office in Aberdeen, further strengthening their service in the North East of Scotland This year marks the centenary year for St. Andrew’s and celebratory events are planned to showcase the impact the Agency has had on people’s lives, linking longevity to the quality of services St. Andrew’s provides. ## **Barnardo’s** The service is experiencing a time of change, with Sue Brunton’s move and the appointment of Anne Whyte, the retirement of Sandra McFadyen (Operations Manager), appointment of Moyra Maclean as Operations Manager (previously Practice Manager) and the subsequent recruitment activity into her post. The last financial year marked the 100[th ] child to join Barnardo’s Adoption Families. Celebration activities will be shared with Local Authority and Partner Agencies Barnardo’s recognised the reduction in number and changing profiles of children waiting for adoptive families and concentrated their resources on finding families, for brothers and sisters and older children. The service has achieved end of year targets although the stretch on resources caused by the pandemic and subsequent delays has challenged activity. The service is exploring partnership opportunities specifically in relation to adoption support for birth parents. ## **Wales represented by St. David’s Children Society** There is a downward trend in the numbers of children with adoption as their plan and an upward trend in the number of Special Guardianship Orders. The reasons for the downturn in adoption as the right permanency option for children resonates with experiences in other part of the UK. This could be a combination of the following ; a 17% reduction in care proceedings, lack of confidence in care planning decisions by social workers that harks back to R-BS and the “nothing else will do “judgement, lack of expertise in permanency planning and a sense that Adoption has found less favour in recent years. Welsh Government have published their programme for change with the prioritisation of resources into preventative services. St. David’s and the National Adoption Service (NAS) are working to influence that this policy directive shouldn’t unintentionally undermine other permanency options and continue to promote adoption for children unable to live with birth family. St. David’s Children Society will end the year with a slight downturn on placement activity, but the agency has maintained a healthy cashflow and reserves position. Relationships with the wider adoption sector which make up the National Adoption Service (NAS) remain very positive. St. David’s have recently undertaken the end of year evaluation of a pilot project with one region who purchased a number of placements in advance. The pilot was deemed successful by both parties and has now moved into an ongoing commissioning strategy. Meetings with three other Welsh regions to embark on a similar model are planned. St. David’s celebrates its 80[th] anniversary year in 2022 with celebration events taking place during the summer. Wendy Keidan On behalf the Celtic Nations 15 | P a g e ## _**5. Trustees Annual Report**_ ## _**5.1 Trustees**_ |**Director/Trustee**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**| |---|---|---| |**Name**||| |Andrew Webb|
Chair|| |Satwinder Sandhu|Vice Chair|| |Terry Fitzpatrick|Treasurer|| |Brenda Farrell||| |Norman Goodwin||Resigned 31stDecember 2021| |Wendy Keidan||| |Ruth Marriott||Appointed 15thSeptember 2021| |Anna Sharkey||Appointed 15thMarch 2022| |Stephen Small||| |Natausha Van Vliet||Appointed 15thSeptember 2021| |Judith Vaughan||| **Name of Company Secretary** Maggie Jones ## **Name of Senior Staff Members** |**Name of Senior Staff Members**|| |---|---| |Chief Executive Officer:|Maggie Jones| |Head of Policy and Member|Alice Tabot| |Services|| |Head of Practice Development|Petra Jodlova| |**Registered Office**|C/o ARC, Unit 29, The Business Innovation Centre, Wearside,| ||Sunderland, SR5 2TA| |**Bankers**|CAF Bank Ltd, 25 King’s Hill Avenue, King’s Hill, West Malling,| ||Kent, ME19 4JQ.| |**Independent Examiners**|Wallwork Nelson & Johnson, Chandler House, 7 Ferry Road Office Park,| ||Riversway, Preston, PR2 2YH.| ## _**5.2 Statement of Trustees Responsibilities**_ The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Practice). Company law requires that Trustees prepare Financial Statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure for that period. In preparing these Financial Statements, the Trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently. 16 | P a g e - Observe the methods and principles in the charity SORP. - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and - prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the Charity’s website. It is important to bear in mind that legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of Financial Statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. In so far as the Trustees are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Independent Examiner is unaware. The Trustees have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as a Trustee-Director in order to make himself or herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Independent Examiner are aware of that information. The Chief Executive is appointed by the Trustees to manage the day-to-day operations of the Charity. The Chief Executive is charged with the duty of accounting to the Board and making recommendations on plans and policy. ## _**5.3 Structure, Governance and Management**_ The Charity is a Company limited by guarantee (Company number 5275491) and a Charity (Charity registration number 1108318) and is governed by its constitution. The Trustees are responsible for the management of the Charity and they form the Board. The Board meets at least four times a year. Appointment to the Board is by election of the members by a simple majority. Trustees are elected from the member agencies. The Chief Executive attends all meetings of the Board. ## **Appointment and Recruitment of Trustees** Members of the Charity nominate Trustees in accordance with the Constitution. An annual audit identifies gaps in representation and nominations to address these are sought. Members can be co-opted to the Board for a period before nomination. Job Descriptions and Person Specifications have been agreed for the Chair, Treasurer, Vice Chair and Trustees to provide clarity about the role and responsibilities. ## **Trustees Induction and Training** New Trustees undergo an induction process to brief them on their legal obligations under Charity and Company Law, the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the recent financial performance of the charity and the financial projections. Trustees are encouraged to attend training events where these may aid their appreciation and understanding of CVAA and facilitate their functioning as Trustees. During 2020-21, the board tested compliance with the each of the Principles of Good Governance as part of its regular meetings. ## **Organisation** All members of the Board undertake tasks on behalf of CVAA as is illustrated elsewhere in this report. In summary: 17 | P a g e - Officer positions on the Board - Chair or member of a subgroup - Delivery of training - Representation of CVAA at a national level e.g., meetings with the Department for Education (DfE); National Adoption Service Cymru, Ofsted, - Representing the VAA sector in joint working groups with statutory partners such as Regional Adoption Agencies ( England) and local authorities - Contact with the media. CVAA recognises and values the time that the Board give to these issues; as a small organisation, it would not be possible to meet all the demands without such voluntary contribution. In addition, ARC have provided financial management to CVAA which has been very much appreciated. All members of staff report either directly or indirectly to the Chief Executive and the Chief Executive reports to the Chair. ## **Risk Management** A risk register is maintained and discussed by the full Board at each meeting, new mitigating actions proposed where the level of risk is judged to have increased; new risks are proposed and added to the register, or closed, as necessary. Much of the Charity’s approach to risk is determined by a thorough appreciation of the environment in which the Charity operates, and by ensuring that appropriate, experienced, and qualified members of staff are recruited and further are appropriately trained. ## _**5.4 Objectives and Activities for the Public Benefit**_ ## **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in the Constitution (governing document)** ## CVAA’s objects (the Objects) are _“ to develop standards of excellence in all matters relating to adoption, good practice and management throughout the voluntary sector for the benefit of the public, and in particular to maximise the contribution of Voluntary Adoption Agencies by influencing policy and practice of adoption in the UK at the National, Regional and Local levels and to directly increase the number of children successfully placed for adoption by promoting liaison and collaborative partnership working practices between voluntary adoption agencies and all other stakeholders”_ The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charities aims and objectives and in planning future activities. **The focus of our work: a summary of the main activities in relation to these objects** |**Representation**|of member voluntary adoption agencies**’**views at local, regional, and national levels| |---|---| ||across all sectors| |**Promotion**|of the voluntary adoption sector’s commitment to achieving appropriate and timely| ||permanence for children| |**Liaison**|between voluntary organisations and statutory agencies by encouraging networking| ||opportunities and forums for members| |**Development**|of CVAA as a national partnership that responds to the needs of all member agencies| ||whilst acknowledging those of the statutory agencies we work with.| |**Support**|of member agencies by maintaining a national database, collection, and analysis of| ||voluntary adoption agency statistics, maintaining the interagency fee, encouraging| 18 | P a g e internal efficiencies, providing advocacy and consultation on adoption matters, driving upwards standards of excellence and promoting collaborative working practices through an extensive programme of professional development. ## _**5.5 Reserves Policy**_ Charity Law requires that the Directors and Trustees should have a policy for holding reserves. The purpose of the policy is to enable any monies which belong to CVAA and which are not required in the immediate future for the running of the charity to be used to generate further income. The Reserves Policy will:- - preserve the viability of CVAA as a Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee - enable the Charity to meet its legal objects - provide seed capital for strategic developments should this be required pending receipt of an awarded grant or new income stream - provide confidence to supporters and donors seeking to give financial support to a prudently controlled charity - ensure that, consistent with the objects, mission statement and values of CVAA proper ethical consideration be afforded to all matters of investment - ensure that the reserves are at a level sufficient to discharge all the Charity's obligations should the Charity cease its operations ## **Desired level of Reserves** In the preparation of the accounts, there has been consideration of the level of reserves which the charity needs to maintain in order to ensure that it would be in a position to meet all of its liabilities should it at any time cease to operate and also to smooth fluctuations in membership as the primary source of income, in order to maintain high quality services to beneficiaries. The value of the reserves required will vary during the year. In calculating the value of reserves there needs to be regard for the following: - Annual running costs of the charity in maintaining essential services - Contractual notice periods of the officers of the charity - Expenses payable to any of the member organisations whose representatives are Trustees of the Charity - Settlement of any other commitments where notice is required to end the contractual arrangement - Other costs payable and due to third parties ## **Steps to Establish the Reserves Policy** To maintain appropriate levels of reserves the Trustees have determined that: - - any legacies, which have no restriction placed upon them by the terms of their donation, are considered to be general reserves - expenditure plans agreed by the Board are examined at quarterly intervals by the Treasurer and Finance & Audit Committee and funds required to finance such may be removed from general reserves as necessary for the attainment of its broad objects. Funds may, from time to time, be designated for specific purposes ## **Monitoring and Reviewing the Policy** The Trustees have agreed that:- - day-to-day operational responsibility for the implementation of this policy be vested in the Treasurer and the Finance & Audit Committee and (supported by the finance professionals in his/her agency) - monitoring is undertaken, on a quarterly basis and reported to the next meeting of the Board 19 | P a g e - the policy is subject to at least an annual review by the Board specifically to confirm the level of Reserves required for the year ahead to meet all obligations ## _**5.6 Investment Policy**_ CVAA will invest the reserves appropriately with any investment to be of low risk. An appropriate balance is to be struck between income and capital growth to enable CVAA to support its charitable works and help achieve its objects. This year the Trustees have developed a new investment policy with the aim of achieving an improved return on investments to support the charity at time of reducing membership fees. The policy is consistent with the Reserves Policy and will: - i. Maintain the value of CVAA reserves in line with inflation in order to sustain the long term viability of the charity and where possible to achieve capital growth - ii. Create an income stream to replace membership fees lost over the past few years and in anticipation of further reductions through member mergers - iii. Support activities which benefit CVAA members and achieve the organisation’s strategic ambitions. - iv. Maintain the optimal balance between funds necessary for the efficient day to day operation of the organisation and maximizing returns on additional funds to generate income. ## **Decision making, management and reporting** The CVAA Trustee Board will make final decisions on investments after receiving reports and relevant professional advice sought by the Finance and Audit Subcommittee. The Finance and Audit subcommittee have delegated authority to; - i. Seek expert advice on investment options within the risk parameters set by the Board. - ii. Investigate and assess charges and other costs of investment options, including those for the professional support and management of funds. - iii. Monitor the performance of investments, including through receiving quarterly reports from investment managers. - iv. Meet, either in person or virtually, with professional advisors as necessary, but as a minimum once per year, to recommend changes in investments to the Board, in response to changes in external markets and/or CVAA circumstances. - v. Liaise with and monitor the performance of investment managers with delegated authority to move funds on behalf of CVAA within the parameters set by the Board. The Board will review investment performance and assess returns against targets on an annual basis alongside consideration of the outturn figures for the preceding financial year, to ensure that the right balance of liquid and longer term investment is in place to support CVAA’s immediate and longer term resource needs. This review will also include an assessment of the performance of investment advisors/managers against the objectives of the policy. 20 | P a g e ## _**5.7 Independent Examiners**_ The Trustees will commission an independent examination of the financial operations of the charity each year from a qualified auditor. This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. This report was approved by the Board of Management on 22[nd] June 2022 ## _**5.8 Financial Review**_ The incoming resources of CVAA for the year ended 31 March 2022 were £247,233 after the deduction of resources expended of £236,646; the net position of the charity was a surplus of £10,587 The retained unrestricted funds of the charity are £555,665. Approved by order of the Board of Trustees and signed on its behalf by ## **Andrew Webb** Chair of Trustees _22[th] June 2022_ 21 | P a g e ## _**6. CVAA Members**_ Action for Children Adoption Adopters for Adoption Adoption Focus Adoption Matters Adoptionplus Adoption UK (Associate member) ARC Adoption North East Barnardo’s Birmingham Children’s Trust Caritas Care CCS Adoption Coram Capital Adoption Diagrama Foundation Families for Children Family Care Adoption Services (Celtic member) Family Futures CIC IAC – The Centre for Adoption Nugent Care PAC-UK (Associate member) Parents and Children Together (PACT) Scottish Adoption (Celtic member) SSAFA St Andrew’s Children’s Society (Celtic member) St David’s Children’s Society (Celtic member) St Francis’ Children’s Society St Margaret’s Children & Family Care Society (Celtic member) Yorkshire Adoption Agency 22 | P a g e _**7. Independent Examiner’s Report**_ ## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies UK Limited ('the Company')** I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2021. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act'). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or 4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)). I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Paul Woodburn FCA Wallwork Nelson & Johnson Chandler House 7 Ferry Road Office Park Riversway Preston Lancashire PR2 2YH Date: ............................................. 23 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED** ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** |||||31/3/22|31/3/21| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|Total| |||funds|fund|funds|funds| ||Notes|£|£|£|£| |**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**|||||| |**Charitable activities**|||||| |Membership costs||239,135|-|239,135|222,145| |Conference & Other income||8,000|-|8,000|26,609| |Investment income|2|98|-|98|194| |**Total**||247,233|-|247,233|248,948| |**EXPENDITURE ON**|||||| |**Charitable activities**|||||| |Membership costs||236,646|-|236,646|216,483| |**NET INCOME**||10,587|-|10,587|32,465| |**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**|||||| |**Total funds brought forward**||545,078|-|545,078|512,613| |**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**||555,665|-|555,665|545,078| 24 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED (REGISTERED NUMBER: 05275491)** ## **BALANCE SHEET 31 MARCH 2022** |Notes
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
6
Cash at bank
**CREDITORS**
Amounts falling due within one year
7
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
9
Unrestricted funds
**TOTAL FUNDS**|31/3/22
£
4,734
583,213
587,947
(32,282)
555,665
555,665
555,665
555,665
555,665|31/3/21
£
14,685
553,280
567,965
(22,887)
545,078
545,078
545,078
545,078
545,078| |---|---|---| The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2022. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2022 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for - (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and - (b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime. The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 22[nd] June 2022. and were signed on its behalf by: ............................................. Terence Fitzpatrick - Trustee These notes form part of the financial statements 25 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES** ## **Basis of preparing the financial statements** The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. ## **Income** All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. ## **Expenditure** Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. ## **Taxation** The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities. ## **Fund accounting** Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements. ## **2. INVESTMENT INCOME** |**INVESTMENT INCOME**||| |---|---|---| ||31/3/22|31/3/21| ||£|£| |Deposit account interest|98|194| ## **3. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS** There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2022 nor for the year ended 31 March 2021. No Trustee or any other person related to the Charity had any personal interest in any contract or any transaction entered into by the Charity during the period. ## **Trustees' expenses** During the year payments made to the value of £1,060 were made to 5 Trustees or their employing organisations for travel expenses (£291 in 2021, paid to 2 Trustees or their employing organisations). 26 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** ## **4. STAFF COSTS** The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows: ||31/3/22|31/3/21| |---|---|---| |Management and Administration|1|1| |Direct Charity Workers|3|3| ||4|4| No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000. ## **5.** ## **COMPARATIVES FIGURES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2019** |||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total| |---|---|---|---|---| |||funds|fund|funds| |||£|£|£| ||**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM**|||| ||**Charitable activities**|||| ||Membership costs|222,145|-|222,145| ||Conference & Other income|26,609|-|26,609| ||Investment income|194|-|194| ||**Total**|248,948|-|248,948| ||**EXPENDITURE ON**|||| ||**Charitable activities**|||| ||Membership costs|216,483|-|216,483| ||**NET INCOME**|32,465|-|32,465| ||**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**|||| ||**Total funds brought forward**|512,613|-|512,613| ||**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**|545,078|-|545,078| |**6.**|**DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**|||| ||||31/3/22|31/3/21| ||||£|£| ||Trade debtors||4,734|11,517| ||Prepayments and accrued income||-|3,168| ||||4,734|14,685| 27 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** ## **7. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR** |**CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**||| |---|---|---| ||31/3/22|31/3/21| ||£|£| |Trade creditors|5,962|328| |Other creditors|772|372| |Accruals and deferred income|25,548|22,187| ||32,282|22,887| ## **8. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS** |Unrestricted
funds
£
Current assets
587,947
Current liabilities
(32,282)
555,665
**MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
Closure costs
**TOTAL FUNDS**
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**TOTAL FUNDS**|31/3/22
31/3/21
Restricted
Total
Total
fund
funds
funds
£
£
£
-
587,947
567,965
-
(32,282)
(22,887)
-
555,665
545,078
Net
movement
At
At 1/4/21
in funds
31/3/22
£
£
£
480,078
10,587
490,665
65,000
-
65,000
545,078
10,587
555,665
545,078
10,587
555,665
Incoming
Resources
Movement
resources
expended
in funds
£
£
£
247,233
(236,646)
10,587
247,233
(236,646)
10,587| |---|---| ## **9. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS** 28 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** ## **9. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued** ## **Comparatives for movement in funds** |**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
Closure costs
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Net
movement
At 1/4/20
in funds
£
£
447,613
32,465
65,000
-
512,613
32,465
512,613
32,465|At
31/3/21
£
480,078
65,000| |---|---|---| |||545,078| |||545,078| Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: |**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Incoming
resources
£
248,948
248,948|Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(216,483)
32,465
(216,483)
32,465|Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(216,483)
32,465
(216,483)
32,465| |---|---|---|---| ||||32,465| A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows: |**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
Closure costs
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Net
movement
At 1/4/20
in funds
£
£
447,613
43,052
65,000
-
512,613
43,052
512,613
43,052|At
31/3/22
£
490,665
65,000| |---|---|---| |||555,665| |||555,665| A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: |**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**TOTAL FUNDS**|Incoming
resources
£
496,181
496,181|Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(453,129)
43,052
(453,129)
43,052|Resources
Movement
expended
in funds
£
£
(453,129)
43,052
(453,129)
43,052| |---|---|---|---| ||||43,052| 29 | P a g e **Unrestricted Designated funds:** The Trustees have decided that it is prudent to set aside a sum of money which would be required to cover the closure costs should the Charity cease to operate. This designated fund is currently £65,000. 30 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED** ## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** ## **10. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES** There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2022. 31 | P a g e **CONSORTIUM OF VOLUNTARY ADOPTION AGENCIES UK LIMITED** ## **DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022** |**DETAILED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022**||| |---|---|---| ||31/3/22|31/3/21| ||£|£| |**INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS**||| |**Investment income**||| |Deposit account interest|98|194| |**Charitable activities**||| |Membership fees|160,714|165,897| |Conference & Other income|8,000|26,609| |Online webinar|78,421|56,248| ||247,135|248,754| |**Total incoming resources**|247,233|248,948| |**EXPENDITURE**||| |**Charitable activities**||| |Staffing|165,904|156,662| |Practice event costs|10,843|5,432| |ICT & other costs|20,710|21,673| |Overheads|5,595|2,828| |Accountancy fees|1,860|2,000| |Property costs|8,035|8,805| |Travel costs|1,418|1,432| |Financial management|9,669|10,074| |Consultancy|1,913|2,695| |Members events & AGM|6,111|-| |Board & Trustees expenses|1,060|291| |Bad debts written off|2,162|-| |Legal fees|-|4,591| |Advertising|1,366|-| ||236,646|216,483| |Total resources expended|236,646|216,483| |**Net income**|10,587|32,465| This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements 32 | P a g e