This paper aims to capture the learning from the Central East Regional Adoption Agency (CE RAA) project between June 2015 and July 2017. It is written from the perspective of Coram-i, although it was shared with the CE RAA executive group (i.e. the CE RAA DCSs/representatives) in June 2017 and any comments made by them have been incorporated. It aims to aid learning and to highlight enablers and disablers for the process of ‘Regionalising Adoption’ and achieving innovation in cross-sector working.
The paper concludes that innovation, via Alternative Delivery Models, Social Investment or Impact Bonds and other ‘new’ initiatives that incorporate service design and delivery, requires active thinking in advance of project inception to consider the clash between innovation and procurement in situations where different sectors bring complementary expertise and responsibilities to the discharge of statutory and related duties.