4.2.6 Placements for Adoption

AMENDMENT

This chapter was amended in October 2011 to take account of the Adoption National Minimum Standards 2011 and Adoption Guidance 2011. Changes have been highlighted below. . In particular, Section 6, identification of Adoptive Parents has been amended to include explicitly the requirements on ethnicity and matching and the areas of support to be provided to the prospective adopters as set out in the National Minimum Standards. Section 2, Preparation of the Child for Adoption has also been updated to include the requirement to provide information to the child prior to the placement about the prospective adoptive home and the proposed contact arrangements with the birth family.

RELATED CHAPTERS

Achieving Permanence Policy
Guidance on Permanency Planning

1. Formal Approval of Adoption Plan for the Child

1.	When an adoption plan is being considered in relation to a Looked After Child either as the preferred Care Plan or the Contingency Plan, this must be ratified at the child's Looked After Review.
2.	Every Looked After Child must have a Permanence Plan agreed in principle by the date of his or her second Looked After Review. A more detailed Permanence Plan will then be considered at an Adoption Permanency Planning Meeting, chaired by a manager from the adoption service. At the request of the child's social worker the Adoption Service Manager will convene an Adoption Permanency Planning Meeting that can assist in deciding on the most appropriate and timely plan for each child. A member of the fostering service and foster carers will be invited to participate in the meeting.
2.a	A referral must be made to the Adoption Duty Social Worker.
2.b	At the Adoption Permanency Planning Meeting, projected dates for Adoption Panel will be agreed with consideration of the court timetabling, and will be agreed on an individual case basis.
2.c	An 'Adoption Pack' will be provided to the child's social worker and a checklist to ensure all issues are addressed before the Adoption Panel presentation. The pack includes BAAF health forms including Information for Birth Parents, 'If your child is being adopted and you don't agree', 'If your child is being adopted and you agree', Letterbox leaflets, a referral form for Independent Support for Birth Parents Adoption Support Birmingham and a referral form for the child's Pre Adoption Medical.
3.	In relation to an unborn child or where a parent indicates a wish to relinquish to adoption a referral to the Adoption Service will trigger a joint visit by an Adoption Social Worker to give full information about adoption and its lifelong implications. In these circumstances the agreement to an adoption plan will be confirmed at the Looked After Review once the child becomes Looked After.
4.	The date for the Adoption Panel meeting must be a maximum of 2 months from the date when the adoption plan was ratified at the child's Looked After Review. Where this timescale is not met, the Adoption Panel should record the reason.
5.	The timing of the allocation of the case to an adoption social worker will depend on the individual circumstances of each case.
6.	Once an adoption social worker has been allocated, the child's social worker will meet with him or her to negotiate a co-working agreement to progress the adoption plan (see Section 6, Identification of Adoptive Parents (including Inter Agency Placements) for the issues to be considered.) A manager or senior from the adoption service will chair the initial co-working meeting.
7.	The child's social worker must open an Adoption Case Record for the child. once adoption has been identified as the permanence plan for the child at his or her Looked After Review or, where a child has been relinquished for adoption, as soon as the parent's request for adoption has been made. Where the plan relates to a group of siblings, there must be a separate Adoption Case Record for each child. The adoption social worker will open a separate file, which will be combined with the Adoption Case Record when the case is closed.
8.	The child's social worker should obtain 2 certified copies of the child's full birth certificate. These will be required for future Court applications and for the prospective adopters.
9.	The child's social worker should give both birth parents written information on adoption, currently using BAAF leaflet 'Your child is being adopted and you don't agree', or 'Your child is being adopted and you do agree'. A record of providing this should be made on the child's file.
10.	If either or both of the birth parents refuse to accept or do not receive personal delivery of the leaflet, this should be recorded, including the reasons, on the child's case file and Adoption Case Record. The agency's Legal Services should also be notified. Where the parents' address is known, the child's social worker should then personally deliver or arrange for delivery by hand of a copy of the information to the address and record this on the Adoption Case Record.
11.	The child's social worker must seek the birth parents' consent to the disclosure of information on their medical history to facilitate the Adoption Medical for the child - for detailed procedures, see Section 4, Child's Adoption Medical.
12.	The child's social worker must discuss with the parents their views on the adoption plan, and arrange the necessary counselling and support for both of the birth parents and any other significant relatives. For detailed procedure, see Section 3, Counselling and Support for Parents. If either or both of the parents decline or refuse counselling and/or support, this should be recorded, including the reasons, in the child's file and Adoption Case Record.
13.	Where one or both of the birth parents cannot be found, the child's social worker must make extensive enquiries as to their whereabouts. The social worker should write to the parent's last known address and contact the Benefits Agency and other agencies, which are known to have had contact with the family. Consideration should also be given to the need to place advertisements in the local and national press and legal advice should be sought.
14.	The child's social worker must contact the child's health visitor or school health for current information in relation to the child's health and development.
15.	The child's social worker must contact the child's school or the relevant local education authority for current information in relation to the child's educational needs.
16.	The child's social worker must ask the child's carer to complete a report on the child. (This will be required for the Child's Permanence Report - see paragraph 19 below.)
17.	The child's social worker must ensure that the adoption plan addresses the issue of post adoption contact, including a possible meeting between the parents and the adopters, and whether there ma, be ongoing direct contact or indirect contact via a letterbox system - see Section 5, Post-adoption Contact. If the child has siblings, the plan must analyse the relationship between each child in the sibling group and, if the decision is to place siblings separately, the issue of post-adoption contact between them must be addressed.
18.	The child's social worker and allocated adoption social worker must also carry out an assessment of the likely needs for adoption support services in relation to the child (including his or her eligibility for financial support), the birth parents and any other person with a significant relationship to the child. For the detailed procedures, see Adoption Support Services Procedures.
19.	Using all the information obtained in relation to the above, the child's social worker must complete the Child's Permanence Report. N.B. The author of the report must satisfy the criteria to be suitably qualified and experienced (see Section 5, Reports to Adoption Panel Procedure. The following areas must be addressed in the Report: Profile of the child, based on a report from the child's current carer as well as other information about the child's personality, nationality, racial origin, religious persuasion, legal status and relationship with his/her birth family The child's wishes in relation to the adoption plan and his or her preferred method of communication A chronology of the child's life since birth The preparation work, undertaken and planned, with the child The views of the child in relation to the adoption plan and future contact with his/her birth family The views of the Children's Guardian (where possible) The views of the birth family and significant others in relation to the adoption plan and future contact and their opportunity to receive and comment on the report before the report is presented to Adoption Panel. A report of the child's educational history and current needs, including the Personal Education Plan (PEP) Any other relevant specialist reports on the child An assessment of the child's emotional and behavioural development An assessment of the child's needs for post-adoption contact, including with siblings An assessment of the child's and birth relatives' needs for adoption support services An analysis of the options for the child's future care and the alternatives to adoption considered Where the child has siblings, whether the decision is to place siblings separately or together and the rationale for the decision A copy of the Report or the relevant sections of the Report should be provided to the parents and the child where appropriate.
20.	Presentation to the Adoption Panel: This must take place within 6 weeks of the completion of the Child's Permanence Report. To enable the Adoption Panel to consider whether the child should be placed for adoption, the child's social worker must present the following reports: A front sheet stating what is being reported, the reports included, the recommendations sought and who will be attending Adoption Panel The Child's Permanence Report (including the Medical Adviser's comments) signed by the child's social worker, the manager and the parent (if willing) Legal advice about parental consent and the option of seeking a Placement Order. Adoption National Standards Monitoring Form A completed Referral to the National Adoption Register on each child. The child's social worker must take a photograph of the child to the Adoption Panel meeting. The child's social worker will send the reports to the Panel Administrator at least 14 days before the relevant date of the Adoption Panel. The child's social worker (together with his or her manager if appropriate) and the allocated adoption social worker will attend the Adoption Panel meeting during consideration of the matter. (N.B. Where the social worker is seeking a recommendation in relation to the placement of the child with particular prospective adopters at the same time, the procedure set out in Section 7, Approval of Matching of Adoption Parents must also be followed.) The Panel will consider the written reports and any additional information presented verbally. The Panel will make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) regarding the adoption plan. Where the Panel recommends that the child should be placed for adoption, it may also consider and give advice as to future contact arrangements for the child and whether an application for a Placement Order should be made. The recommendation will be recorded in writing, together with reasons, in the Panel's minutes. A copy of the relevant minute must be held on the child's Adoption Case Record. The child's social worker will convey the Panel's recommendation orally to the child (depending on age and level of understanding) and the parents within 24 hours.
21.	After the Adoption Panel After the Adoption Panel has made a written recommendation, the Panel Administrator will send the reports considered by the Panel and the written recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption), who will make a decision within 7 working days. The decision will be recorded in writing. Where the Agency Decision Maker is minded to disagree with the Panel recommendation, he/she must first discuss the case with another senior officer with the appropriate experience, who should not be a Panel member. The discussion must be recorded and placed on the child's Adoption Case Record. The Panel Administrator will advise the child's social worker, who will convey the decision orally to the parents within 2 working days, and to the child (depending on his or her age and understanding.) The Agency Decision Maker will sign letters to the parents informing them of the decision and the panel Administrator will pass the letters to the child's social worker for sending to the parents within 5 working days. The method of delivery of the letter must be recorded. A letter will also be sent to the child depending on the child's age and understanding.
22.	Where a decision has been made to seek a Placement Order in relation to the child, the child's social worker should consult Legal Services in order to prepare the Court application. (See Court Reports in Adoption/Special Guardianship Cases Guidance, for Guidance on the contents of the Court Report.)
23.	Where the parents wish to consent to the child's placement and the child's adoption and the child is more than 6 weeks old, the child's social worker must arrange for a written request to be sent to CAFCASS to appoint an officer to witness the consent. (Where the child lives in Wales, the request should be sent to the National Assembly for Wales.)
24.	The social worker should send to the CAFCASS office closest to the parents' address, a certified copy of the child's birth certificate, the name and address of the parent, a chronology of the actions and decisions made by the local authority and confirmation that the parents have received counselling and written information on the legal implications of giving consent to the placement/adoption.
25.	On receipt of the parent's consent witnessed by the CAFCASS officer, the original must be placed on the child's Adoption Case Record (as it will be required for the future adoption application.)

2. Preparation of Child for Adoption

1.	The child's social worker will ensure that Life Story Work with the child continues with the aim so far as possible that: The child has an understanding of the reasons for the adoption plan and what adoption will mean, The child has an opportunity to express his or her wishes and feelings about the future, and The child has information on the child's birth family, which is kept safe for them and provided to the adopters and the child at the appropriate time As part of the above, the child will be given a Children's Guide to Adoption as soon as adoption is part of the child's Care Plan. Any information given to the child should be confirmed in writing and any discussions with the child should be fully recorded.The child's preferred method of communication should be known and there should be no assumption that a child is unable to communicate. An interpreter should be arranged as necessary to ensure that there is effective communication with the child. The social worker should ensure that the child's wishes in relation to adoption, religious and cultural upbringing and contact with his or her birth family are ascertained. Where a child's wishes are not acted upon, for example a child's wish to be placed with his or her siblings, this should be explained to the child, with reasons, and should be fully recorded.
2.	The foster carers' supervising social worker will support the foster carers in playing their part in the preparation of the plan, including careful recording by the foster carers in the Daily Record of any changes in the child's behaviour.
3.	Once an adoptive placement has been identified and approved, the child's social worker is responsible for ensuring the child is properly prepared for the first meeting with the prospective adoptive family and is appropriately counselled during the period of introductions - see Section 8, Planning the Placement. As part of the preparation of the child for the adoptive placement, information will be provided to ensure that s/he has a proper understanding about the accommodation and others living at the prospective adoptive home, the contact arrangements with the birth family and how to contact his or her social worker.
4.	The child's social worker will encourage the parents to write a 'Later Life' letter for the child, and to provide information to enable the social worker to write a 'Later Life' letter for the child (to give to the adopters) within 10 working days of adoption ceremony, i.e. the ceremony to celebrate the making of the adoption order.

3. Counselling and Support for Parents

1.	The child's social worker must provide counselling for both birth parents, which will cover the following areas: Explaining the key stages of the adoption process and likely time-scales Explaining, where appropriate, the procedure for seeking a Placement Order Explaining the parents' legal rights, including the right of the unmarried father to seek a Parental Responsibility Order or a Residence Order in relation to the child Explaining the role of the Adoption Panel Explaining the role of the CAFCASS Officer and Reporting Officer in witnessing consent to adoption, and of the Children's Guardian Explaining the way the Adoption Contact Register works and how an adopted adult may seek information about the birth family in the future or may register a wish not to be contacted Explaining how the parents may be able to provide information to be passed to adopters, for example on the child's birth and early life, which may be of benefit to the child. Explaining how prospective adoptive parents are assessed Ascertaining the parents' views on the adoption plan, including the selection of the adoptive family, any specific ethnic, cultural or religious needs of the child, and any plan to separate a sibling group. Where the parents consent to the adoptive placement and/or give advance consent to adoption, explaining the process for witnessing their consent, their right to state that they do not wish to be informed of an adoption application, and their right to withdraw their consent at any time up to the making of an adoption application, but the restriction on their right to do so after this. Providing information to the parents on national and local support groups and other possible sources of help.
2.	The child's social worker should also provide both birth parents with the leaflet 'If your child is being adopted and you don't agree'. If either or both of the birth parents refuse to accept counselling and/or do not receive the leaflet, this should be recorded, including the reasons, on the child's case file and Adoption Case Record. Where the parents' address is known, the child's social worker should personally deliver or arrange for delivery by hand of a copy of the information to the address and record this on the Adoption Case Record.
3.	The child's social worker must also offer to arrange independent support for both birth parents (including unmarried fathers.) In Dudley, this support is generally provided through the independent agency, 'Adoption Support Birmingham'. The child's social worker should request the adoption service refer the birth parents to this agency. An 'opt out' arrangement is in place to maximise the take-up of this service by birth parents. Where the support needs to be provided by a specialist worker, for example where the parent has poor mental health or learning disabilities, the child's social worker should indicate this in the request so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Any specific needs of birth parents arising from their ethnic minority groups must also be specified in the social worker's request and taken into account. An interpreter must be arranged where English is not their preferred language.
4.	The support, the aim of which is to ensure that the implications of adoption have been fully discussed and the parents have an opportunity to express their views in relation to the plans for the child and be involved in planning for the child's future wherever possible, will cover the following areas: Explaining the key stages of the adoption process and likely time-scales Explaining the way the Adoption Contact Register works and how an adopted adult may seek information about the birth family in the future Explaining how prospective adoptive parents are assessed Dealing with grief and loss Ascertaining the parents' views on post-adoption contact including whether they would wish to meet the adoptive family and if so, how they might prepare for this Providing information to the parents on national and local support groups, and other possible sources of help Explaining how the parents may be able to provide information to be passed to adopters, for example, on the child's birth and early life, which may be of benefit to the child
5.	Both parents must be offered counselling and independent support irrespective of whether they have Parental Responsibility unless there are exceptional circumstances, in which case legal advice should be taken and the reasons for not arranging counselling recorded.
6.	Extended family members can also access Adoption Support Birmingham, where they have played a significant role in the child's life.
7.	The parents should be encouraged to seek legal advice particularly where they are opposed to the adoption plan.
8.	The parents and their solicitors, if appropriate, must be sent copies of any written consents and/or recording of their views.
9.	Where the parents refuse or decline to accept counselling and/or support, the child's social worker must record the attempts made to persuade the parents and the reasons for their refusal in the child's file and Adoption Case Record.
10.	Where the parents are seeking to have an expected child adopted, the counselling must start before the baby's birth. An adoption social worker can accompany a social worker pre birth to discuss adoption and its lifelong implications once a referral is received by the Adoption Service. In addition, the child's social worker must cover practical tasks such as the arrangements for the birth, the parents' own contact with the child after the birth, the intended length of the mother's hospital stay and their wishes regarding the timing of the placement. After the child's birth, the counselling and support must continue. The social worker should then confirm with the parents that they still wish to pursue adoption for the child.
11.	The social worker should arrange for photographs to be taken of the child and, if they agree, the parents and other significant people and places, for inclusion in the child's Life Story Book.

4. Child's Adoption Medical

1.	As soon as the adoption plan becomes part of the child's Care Plan, the child's social worker should send a referral form to the medical secretary to the Medical Adviser requesting an adoption medical for the child. The Medical Adviser should be asked for advice about who should conduct the medical, what blood tests are necessary and if any other tests or opinions are required.
2.	The procedure needs to be started without delay so that the adoption medical can be arranged; the adoption medical must take place before the child's plan for adoption is considered at the Adoption Panel. Where the child is a new born baby, the baby must be 6 weeks old before the medical takes place.
3.	The child's social worker must seek the cooperation of both birth parents to provide written consent to the disclosure of medical information by completing BAAF Form A, including obtaining their consent to the Medical Adviser approaching their GP if necessary, as well as obtaining their written consent to the obstetric report on the mother and neo-natal report on the child. A separate Form A should be completed in relation to each parent.
4.	The child's social worker should then send the Forms B and M (requesting an obstetric report on the mother and neo-natal report on the child) to the hospital social work team (if one exists at the hospital where the child was born) or the Hospital Administrator with a request that the Form be completed and returned to the social worker. Where the child was born at home, the Form should be sent to the mother's GP.
5.	The importance of the disclosure of medical information must be explained to the parents. Where the parents refuse to sign consent forms, the social worker must complete as much as possible on the relevant forms, record the attempts made to engage the parents and the reasons for refusal in the child's file and Adoption Case Record, and inform the Medical Adviser of the position.
6.	All completed medical reports should be sent to the Medical Adviser prior to the adoption medical. The child's social worker should also send the relevant BAAF Form for completion after the medical (BAAF Form C for children of 5 and under, BAAF Form D for children aged 6 to 10 and BAAF Form YP for children of 11 and above.)
7.	The child's social worker should attend the medical with the child and, depending on the child's age and wishes, the child's foster carer.
8.	The information on the child's medical report must be kept up to date if a placement is not immediately forthcoming. This must be done at least twice yearly for a child aged below 2 and annually for a child of 2 and above. The Medical Adviser may, however, make specific recommendations in relation to particular children.

5. Post- adoption Contact

1.	The child's social worker must undertake a written assessment to support any post-adoption contact proposals, or reasons why no contact is recommended, taking account of the views of the child, parents, foster carers and any other significant family members, as well as evidence of attachment and the quality of relationships, based on observations of contact and the child's behaviour before, during and after contact. Also see Guidance on Permanency Planning.
2.	Where there is a sibling group, each child must be assessed separately and together as a group.
3.	The assessment should determine whether post-adoption contact between the child and the parents and/or siblings would be in the child's best interests, and if so, what form it should take. The nature and frequency of contact will be influenced by the need to maintain attachments and /or long-term identity issues.
4.	Post-adoption contact may take the following forms: Adoptive parents providing non-identifying information about the child to the birth family through letter-box contact organised and maintained by the adoption service (one way indirect contact) Adoptive parents and the birth family sharing non-identifying information about themselves through letter-box contact organised and maintained by the adoption service (two way indirect contact) Direct letter box and/or telephone contact between the adoptive parents and the birth family Direct face-to-face contact between the child and the birth family, which may be organised and maintained by the adoption service, where such continuing support is appropriate.
5.	Any proposed post-adoption contact should be in line with any Court Orders.
6.	Where post-adoption contact is considered to be in the child's interests, it should be part of the information shared with prospective adoptive parents during the matching process - see Section 6, Identification of Adoptive Parents (including Inter Agency Placements) and also part of the planning of the placement - see Section 8, Planning the Placement.

6. Identification of Adoptive Parents (including Inter Agency Placements)

The overall time-scale for matching a child with a prospective adoptive family is:

The match is to be identified, recommended by the Adoption Panel and approved by the Agency Decision Maker within 6 months of the agency's formal approval that the child should be placed for adoption, except where the following applies
Where parents request adoption for a child of less than six months of age, the match is to be identified, recommended by the Adoption Panel and approved by the Agency Decision Maker within 3 months of the agency's formal approval that the child should be placed for adoption.

1.	Following the allocation of an adoption social worker to assist the child's social worker in the implementation of the adoption plan, the timing of the start of the family finding will depend on the legal position and be agreed as part of the co-working agreement between the child's social worker and the adoption social worker (see Section 1, Formal Approval of Adoption Plan.)
2.	The issues to be addressed as part of the co-working agreement are: The preparation of the child's profile. To identify any other information about the child which is needed in order to identify a suitable family To clarify any other outstanding planning matters and identify what needs to be done, when and by whom To consider who should undertake the preparation of the child, and to determine how the child may be involved in and express views about the process of finding a family To discuss parental involvement in the placement process (and parental consent to advertising, if applicable, where the child is Accommodated) and to agree that the child's social worker will keep Legal Services informed of developments To consider whether or not the child's current carer would be appropriate as a prospective permanent placement (see Section 6.11, Where Foster Carers express an interest in adopting.) To plan the family finding work, giving consideration to the availability of in-house approved families, the opportunity of an inter-agency placement, and advertising for families in the national, local and ethnic media. To agree time-scales for the family finding work including the holding of progress meetings.
3.	The child's social worker, in conjunction with the current foster carer will complete a matching Matrix in relation to the child. The Matching Matrix will identify the child's needs in relation to a new family, including ethnicity, culture, religion, language, contact with birth family and existing networks, education, health, other special needs and location, and the qualities required in the adoptive family, based on the child's identified placement needs. It should also be identified which needs are essential and which preferred. Where the Matching Matrix indicates the child should be placed outside the authority, this should be accompanied by a written geographical risk assessment of the basis of this conclusion, giving all known addresses of extended family members.
4.	The adoption social worker will consider whether there are any potentially suitable in-house approved families (including families going through the assessment process) by sharing the Matching Matrix with other staff in the adoption service and considering any potential families' Form F or Prospective Adopter's Report. Where potentially suitable families are identified, they should be approached about the child or children in question. NB Ethnicity must not be placed above everything else when identifying potential adopters for children. It is unacceptable for a child to be denied adoptive parents solely on the grounds that the child and prospective adopter do not share the same racial or cultural background. If a prospective adopter can meet most of the child's needs, but, for example they do not share the child's racial or cultural background, the core issue is what qualities, experiences and attributes the prospective adopter can draw on and their level of understanding of the discrimination and racism the child may be confronted with when growing up. Where foster carers express an interest in adopting a child placed with them, see Section 6.11, Where Foster Carers express an interest in adopting.)
5.	Where there are potentially suitable in-house approved families indicating an interest, the adoption social worker will provide them with a copy of the Child's Permanence Report and any further information to them by telephone or in face-to-face meetings as appropriate, for example as to the child's health, education and special needs, together with a photograph and/or video film of the child. At this stage, the adoption social worker will encourage the prospective adoptive families' link workers to contact the child's social worker in order to have access to the child's file. The current carers should also be involved as necessary and appropriate. Potential adopters should be given access to people who can help them obtain a full picture of the child from the time Children's Social Care became involved, and clarify and explore the implications of the information they receive. They should be given a short time to decide if they wish to proceed.
6.	Where suitable in-house approved adoptive families are available, the adoption social worker will arrange a Matching Meeting involving the child's social worker, the social worker's manager (if appropriate) and the adoption workers linked to the potential family or families. A manager/senior practitioner from the adoption service will chair the meeting.
7.	The purpose of the meeting is to consider the available in-house approved potential families, and decide which appears the most suitable to meet the child's needs. The meeting should also consider: The preparation of the child, the present carers and the prospective adopters for the proposed match; The preparation of the birth family and the information to be given; The allocation of preparatory tasks for the introductory work; The proposed contents of the agreement between the agency and the prospective adopters, including adoption support and any proposed contact arrangements The designated roles and responsibilities for completing the Adoption Placement Report and the Proposed Adoption Support Plan
8.	The child's social worker and adoption social worker will use the information collated at the Matching Meeting for the Adoption Placement Report to be presented to the Adoption Panel - See Section 6.17, Once a Suitable match has been Identified.
9.	The relevant adoption link workers for the family/families concerned (as appropriate) will inform the selected family and the unsuccessful families of the decision, together with reasons, on the same day as the meeting. They will also offer follow up discussions as required.
10.	If the allocated adoption social worker conclude that there is no suitable in-house approved prospective adoptive family who can meet the child's identified essential needs, the child's social worker must send a written locality risk assessment seeking the approval in principle of the Designated Manager (Inter Agency Placement) to an inter agency placement, giving the reasons why an inter agency placement is required.
11.	Where foster carers express an interest in adopting. Where foster carers express an interest in adopting a child they are looking after, the adoption social worker will convene a pre-matching meeting involving the child's social worker, his or her team manager and the foster carers' supervising social worker (with his or her manager where appropriate.) The chair of the meeting will be a senior practitioner or manager in the adoption service. If the outcome of the meeting is that the foster carers appear able to meet the child's essential needs, an assessment of the foster carers as adopters will proceed, including their attendance at a preparation course (see Assessment and Approval of Agency Adoptive Parents Procedure.) If they are approved as adopters, the requirements set out in this section, Section 7, Approval of Matching of Adoption Parents as to the approval of the matching and Section 9, Information Sharing Prior to the Placement as to the provision of information and notification of the placement must be followed. If the outcome of the meeting is that the foster carers are not able to meet the child's essential needs, the recruitment of adopters as set out in the preceding and following paragraphs of this chapter will apply. The foster carers' supervising social worker will provide support and counselling to the foster carers as appropriate. If the foster carers decide to proceed with an application to adopt the child without the agreement of the agency, the procedure set out in Non-Agency Adoptions Procedure will apply.
12.	Inter Agency Placements Where the Designated Manager (Inter Agency Placement) agrees in principle to an inter agency placement, a referral should be made to the Black Country Consortium in the first instance and to the West Midlands Regional Consortium and National Adoption Register to consider appropriate links. Dependent on the outcome, consideration will also be given to publicity in the specialist or wider press. Where it is considered that a placement of the child with overseas adopters would be appropriate, see Section 12, Adoptive Placements Abroad.
13.	Where recruitment of adopters from another agency has been authorised, the adoption social worker will undertake the following: Check that either the parents (for an Accommodated child) and/or the Adoption Team Manager have signed the Consent to Publicity Form or where Court proceedings are ongoing, that the Court's leave has also been given Ask the allocated adoption social worker to arrange for professional photographs to be taken of the child if publicity will be required Agree with the child's social worker which referrals are appropriate and which publications are to be used for publicity purposes, and draw up suitable profiles using the Matching Matrix
14.	Other members of the adoption service as well as the child's social worker should be made aware of the dates of the publicity and a response to callers should be agreed.
15.	Responses from families not yet approved should be dealt with as follows: Take details of the family and complete a Response Form Give limited, anonymised information about the child, in order to help the caller decide whether this is a situation they wish to pursue Give general information about the adoption and family finding process, bearing in mind that the caller has not gone through the assessment and preparation process Arrange a more appropriate time to hold or continue the discussion, as appropriate If, on the basis of the discussions held, it is not considered appropriate, having regard to the needs of the child, to pursue the response, the caller should be advised of the decision, with reasons, and provided with contact details of other agencies which may be of help to them, for example BAAF and Adoption UK
16.	Responses from already approved families should be dealt with as follows: Take details of the family and complete a Response Form Give limited, anonymised information about the child, in order to help the caller decide whether this is a situation they wish to pursue Give general information about how the family finding is being conducted, bearing in mind that the family's own agency may approach this in a different way If, on the basis of the discussions held, it is not considered appropriate, having regard to the needs of the child, to pursue the response, the caller should be advised of the decision, with reasons. If the family is considered suitable, their details and the names of their agency and link worker should be taken. The family should be asked to inform their link worker of their approach to the authority and that the adoption social worker will contact the link worker The adoption social worker will contact the family's link worker and share information about the child and the family. Where it is considered that the match is not appropriate, the family's link worker should be asked to discuss this with the family and the adoption social worker need take no further action. If it is considered that the link should be pursued, the adoptive family's link worker and the adoption social worker should agree to exchange the family's Prospective Adopter's Report/Form F and the Child's Permanence Report, with a follow up discussion after the Forms have been read. The adoption social worker should also forward to the adoptive family's link worker financial information about Dudley's Adoption Support, including financial matters. The adoptive family's link worker may wish to visit the family to go through the child's Permanence Report, and should be asked to indicate as soon as possible whether or not the family wish to proceed.
17.	Once a suitable match has been identified, (whether with in-house approved adopters, inter agency or a foster carer approved as an adopter), the child's social worker, prospective adopters' link worker and the adoption social worker should prepare an Adoption Placement Report and Proposed Adoption Support Plan giving details of the family recommended, evaluating how this family may meet the child's needs and setting out the proposed adoption support services to be offered to the child, adoptive family and birth family. This will include including the support to be provided to the prospective adopters to promote the child's educational achievements and participation in leisure activities; to help the child develop positive relationships; and to manage any challenging behaviour which the child may display, The support plan will also include arrangements for contact including how to deal with unauthorised or unmediated contact through online social networking sites. For further information, please - see Adoption Support Services Procedure. N.B. The author/s of the report must be suitably qualified and experienced and/or supervised by such a person.
18.	The child's social worker, adoption social worker, the prospective adopters' link worker and their respective managers should sign both documents.
19.	The adoption social worker should also contact the Panel Administrator to arrange a date for the Adoption Panel to consider the matching.
20.	The adoption social worker should send a copy of the Adoption Placement Report to the prospective adopters and give 10 working days to them to submit any comments on its contents.
21.	The child's social worker will keep the parents and child informed of progress (unless the parent has stated that he or she does not wish to be kept informed.)

7. Approval of Matching of Adoptive Parents

The overall time-scale for matching a child with a prospective adoptive family is:

The match is to be identified, recommended by the Adoption Panel and approved by the Agency Decision Maker within 6 months of the agency's formal approval of the adoption plan, unless the following applies
Where parents request adoption for a child of less that six months of age, match to be identified, recommended by the Adoption Panel and approved by the Agency Decision Maker within 3 months of the agency's formal approval of the adoption plan

Where these timescales are not met, the Adoption Panel should record the reasons.

1.	Presentation to the Adoption Panel: The child's social worker must present the following reports to the Adoption Panel: A front sheet stating what is being reported, the reports included, recommendations sought and who will be attending Adoption Panel The Child's Permanence Report (with an update medical report no more than 6 months old) The Panel minute recommending that the child should be placed for adoption An updated Prospective Adopter's Report and a recent medical (in the last 2 years) on the identified prospective adopters The Panel minute recommending the suitability of the prospective adopters to be adoptive parents The Adoption Placement Report The Proposed Adoption Support Plan The proposals regarding post-adoption contact The views of the adopters on the prospective Adopter's Report and the proposed contact arrangements The views of the Children's Guardian, if known The National Adoption Standards Timescale Form (Matching)
2.	The child's social worker will send the relevant reports to the Panel Administrator at least 14 days before the date of the Adoption Panel.
3.	Unless reports on the adoption plan and the prospective adopters are being presented at the same time, the Panel Administrator will arrange for the Panel minutes in relation to the approvals of the adoption plan and, where in-house approved, the prospective adopters to be circulated to Panel members, with the reports.
4.	The child's social worker, the adoption social worker and the prospective adopters' social worker will attend the Adoption Panel during consideration of the matter.
5.	The Panel's recommendation as to whether the child should be placed with the particular prospective adopters will be recorded in writing, together with reasons, in the Panel's minutes. The Panel may also give advice in relation to the provision of adoption support, the arrangements for contact and the exercise by the prospective adopters of Parental Responsibility and whether and how this should be restricted.
6.	A copy of the relevant Panel minute must be placed on the child's and the prospective adopters' (where in-house approved) Adoption Case Records.
7.	The prospective adopters' link worker will convey the Panel's recommendation orally to the prospective adopters within 24 hours. Where appropriate, the child's social worker will inform the parents and child of the Panel recommendation.
8.	After the Adoption Panel After the Adoption Panel has considered the report and made a written recommendation, the recommendation, together with the reports considered by the Panel, will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) who will make a decision within 7 working days. If the Panel has given advice in relation to adoption support, proposed contact and/or the exercise of Parental Responsibility, the Agency Decision Maker may express a view on such advice. The decision will be recorded in writing. Where the Agency Decision Maker is minded to disagree with the Panel recommendation, before making a decision he/she must first discuss the case with another senior officer with the appropriate experience, who should not be a Panel member. This discussion must be recorded and placed on the child's and prospective adopter's Adoption Case Records.
9.	The child's social worker will convey the decision orally to the parents within 2 working days. The social worker will inform the child in a way and at a time depending on his/her age and understanding.
10.	The prospective adopters' link worker will convey the decision orally to the prospective adopters within 2 working days.
11.	The Panel Administrator will prepare written notification of the decision to be signed by the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) and once signed, pass the letters for the child (depending on age and understanding) and the parents to the child's social worker for sending within 5 working days. The method of delivery of the letter must be recorded. If the social worker is unable to contact the parents, he or she should deliver the written notification to the parents' last known address and record this on the child's file and Adoption Case Record.
12.	The Panel Administrator will send the written notification, signed by the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption), to the prospective adopters' link worker and the matching certificate for sending to the adopters within 5 working days.

8. Planning the Placement

Once the matching has been approved, and the legal position allows it, (i.e. Parental Consent to Adoptive Placement has been given and witnessed by a CAFCASS Officer or a Placement Order obtained) the adoption social worker will convene a Placement Planning Meeting. For inter agency placements, this will be recorded on BAAF Form H2. A manager/senior practitioner from the adoption service will chair the meeting.
N.B. For inter agency placements, a separate meeting will also be required involving an adoption service manager/senior practitioner to complete BAAF Form H1, detailing the contract between the agencies and the adoptive family in relation to the placement.
The purpose of the Placement Planning Meeting is to draw up an Adoption Placement Plan.

The Adoption Placement Plan will set out the steps required leading up to the child's placement, including the sharing of full information about the child with the prospective adopters (see Section 9,, Information Sharing Prior to Placement), the first meeting between the child and the prospective adoptive family, the programme of and detailed arrangements for the introductions (dates, times, venues, transport and accommodation) and, where appropriate, a meeting between the prospective adopters and members of the birth family. It should also include:
- Whether the placement is under a Placement Order or with Parental Consent;
- The proposed date of the placement, who will be present when the placement takes place;
- The Adoption Support Plan including the support to be provided to the prospective adopters to promote the child's educational achievements and participation in leisure activities; to help the child develop positive relationships; and to manage any challenging behaviour which the child may display;
- Whether and how the exercise of Parental Responsibility by the prospective adopters is to be restricted, including the delegation of decision making to the prospective adopters about the child's health needs and under what circumstances consent to medical treatment needs to be obtained;
- The arrangements for the supervision of the placement (including contact details during office hours and out of hours;
- The date when the Life Story Book and other Later Life letters will be passed to the prospective adopters (usually within 10 working days of the adoption ceremony, i.e. the ceremony to celebrate the making of the adoption order);
- The date and arrangements for the first review of the placement;
- Any post-placement contact between the child and members of the birth family and/or the child and the foster carers; and
- Clarification of who will make the necessary notifications of the placemen;
- A date should also be set for a Placement Planning Review - usually to take place at the mid-point of the Introductions Plan.
Those attending the Placement Planning Meeting will be the child's social worker, his/her manager as appropriate, the foster carers, the foster carers' supervising social worker, the adoption social worker, representatives of the health trust (where appropriate), the prospective adopters and their link worker, and any other worker engaged in direct work with the child.
The child's social worker must ascertain the child's views and report these to the meeting.
One of the restrictions on the exercise of Parental Responsibility by the prospective adopters will usually be that the prospective adopters may not change the child's name under any circumstances prior to the Adoption Order. In any case where there are exceptional circumstances and it may be appropriate for a change of name, this can only be initiated by the child's social worker and the Change of Name Procedure must be followed. See Change of Name of a Looked After Child Guidance.
The child's first meeting with the prospective adopters should be on the child's familiar territory (unless the child is older and requests otherwise) and a social worker should be present. The pattern of introductory visits thereafter will depend on the child's age, needs and stage of development but consideration will be given to a gradual introductory programme involving visits increasing in length, progressing to an overnight stay, a weekend stay and a longer period prior to the final move.
As part of the preparation of the child for the adoptive placement, information will be provided to ensure that s/he has a proper understanding about the accommodation and others living at the prospective adoptive home, the contact arrangements with the birth family and how to contact his or her social worker.
The Adoption Placement Plan will identify the named workers and when they will have contact with the child. All workers involved must be clear about their respective roles and responsibilities in the implementation of the Plan, and what should happen in the event of difficulties. Changes to the Plan can only be made with the agreement of the child's social worker, adoption social worker and the Chair of the meeting. Any changes must be communicated to the prospective adopters, the current carers, the child and any other persons affected.
The child's social worker is expected to be in regular and frequent contact with the child, foster carer and prospective adopter during the period of the introductions. In addition, all the workers involved must share information on a regular basis. The Adoption Placement Plan will then be reviewed at an agreed date - see below.
The child's social worker will advise the parents of the Adoption Placement Plan whilst maintaining the confidentiality of the placement (unless the parent has stated that he or she does not wish to be kept informed.) Consideration should also be given to the best way of informing the parents if any changes are made at any point.
At the mid-point of the introductions, there should be a Placement Planning Review Meeting where the following areas will be addressed:
1. The progress of the Adoption Placement Plan - has the necessary action identified at the previous meeting been taken, and the plan been followed - if not, why not;
2. The views of each participant as to the above
3. The identification of the positives
4. The identification of any difficulties
5. The development of the next stage of the plan
6. The finalisation of the arrangements for the placement.
Additional Placement Planning Meetings can be called by any of the parties if issues of concern arise. All such meetings should have the same people invited and take place at a venue accessible to all parties.
Where the child is to be adopted by his or her foster carers, whilst there will be no need for a plan for an introductions plan, the social worker should still convene a Placement Planning Meeting, in order to draw up an Adoption Placement Plan to cover the areas as set out in paragraph 2 above and to specify the date when the placement is to be regarded as an adoptive placement.
A copy of the Adoption Placement Plan, signed by the child's social worker, should be given to the prospective adopters and their link worker. The prospective adopters must confirm in writing that they wish the placement to proceed and that they agree to the Adoption Placement Plan. A copy must be retained on the child's Adoption Case Record.
Where contact is part of the adoption plan, the proposals must be drawn up in a written agreement. The birth parents and the prospective adoptive parents should be asked to sign this agreement prior to the placement. The agreement must specify the form and timing of the contact and the arrangements for putting the contact in place. The agreement must also specify that the arrangements may change dependent upon the wishes of the child. The agreement should also include how the prospective adopters should deal with unauthorised or unmediated contact through online social networking sites. All parties must retain a copy of the agreement. All parties must retain a copy of the agreement.
If the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, a disruption meeting should be held - see Disruptions of Adoptive Placements Procedure.
In the event of the termination of the Adoption Placement Plan, direct work will be undertaken with the child to make sense of the reasons why the placement did not take place and to prepare the child for any future placement.
In this event, the child's social worker must re-start the process of identifying a suitable prospective adoptive family (depending on the outcome of the Disruption Meeting) or review the plan by reconvening a Looked After Review for the child.

9. Information Sharing Prior to the Placement

Prior to the placement, the child's social worker must ensure that all the following written information about the child has been provided to the adopters, with a copy to the child (depending on the child's age and understanding):
1. The Child's permanence Report (updated in last 6 months)
2. Description (possibly with genogram) of the family of origin and the household
3. Medical information including birth details (time, place, weight, term, type of delivery, with Forms M and B), Form C (if child under 5) or Form D (if child 5 or older) and any medical reports on the child
4. Authority to consent to medical and dental treatment (Pro Forma is available)
5. The child's 'Red Book' and NHS Card
6. A 'Later in Life' letter from the birth parent, if possible
7. The child's passport (if applicable)
8. Carers' report including the child's daily routine, likes and dislikes, advice on behaviour management and factors indicating distress and the 'All About Me' document
9. Health report (prepared for Adoption Panel)
10. Current school reports and PEP
11. Any letters, photographs or mementos from the birth family, and the Life Story Book
12. The child's profile for home-finding
13. Details of siblings and the reasons for any decisions made to place the child separately
14. A written plan of the contact arrangements pre and post adoption with the birth parents and any previous carers
15. A Statement of Particulars of financial support where applicable
16. A Leaflet on Benefits and Tax (if applicable)
17. The Adoption Support Plan, including a named post-adoption social worker
18. The Adoption Placement Plan including arrangements for support and visits by the child's social worker and their own social worker
19. Confirmation of any agreement to pay the adopters' legal expenses
20. Any other relevant information, including specialist reports (subject to the author's and, if filed in Court proceedings, the Court's consent)
The prospective adopters should be asked to sign confirmation of receipt. Where the information is provided at different times, the prospective adopters must sign and date confirmation of receipt on each occasion.
Prior to the placement, the adoption social worker must notify the present and new GP, the local Children's Social Care (where the adoptive family live outside the authority), the relevant Health Trust and, if the child is at nursery or of school age, the relevant local education authority (with information about the child's education history and whether the child has special needs.) These notifications are still required where the prospective adopters were previously the child's foster carers.
The Medical Adviser should be requested to send a medical report on the child to the child's new GP and the adopters. The Medical Adviser should also arrange a face to face meeting with the adopters in order to discuss medical issues in relation to the child or children.
Where the child's foster carers are the prospective adopters, the foster carers' supervising social worker must confirm in writing to them the date from which the placement becomes an adoptive placement.

10. The Placement

Once the matching of the child has been approved, the plan of introductions of the child to the adoptive family successfully completed and the Adoption Placement Plan drawn up and signed by all parties, the placement can go ahead. A social worker must be present when the placement takes place.
The child's social worker must inform the parents of the date of the placement including where a Placement Order has been made unless the parents have stated that they do not wish to be kept informed. No identifying information about the placement should be conveyed to birth parents or relatives.
The child's social worker should ensure that date of the placement is properly recorded and that the computer record system is updated to show that the child is placed for adoption but does not show the placement address.
The adoption social worker will inform the Panel Administrator of the date of the placement as soon as it is made and inform the Finance Department, where the Adoption Support Plan includes financial support.
Where the adopters are the child's previous foster carers, the child's social worker must advise the Finance Department of the placement to ensure that the payment of fostering allowances ceases.

11. Children Approved for Adoption for Whom no Placement has been Identified

Each individual child will be the subject of regular progress meetings - See Section 6, Identification of Adoptive Parents (including Inter Agency Placements). The child will also be the subject of regular Reviews, chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer. The first such review must take place within 3 months of the decision that the child is suitable to be placed for adoption and thereafter, at least every 6 months.
Where a child is the subject of a Placement Order but has not been placed by the date of the first 6 months review, the review should consider whether the plan for the child remains appropriate and if so, what additional steps should be taken to identify a suitable family.
Where a child has been approved as suitable for adoption but not placed within 6 months, the child's social worker must also present a further report to the Adoption Panel identifying the length of the delay, the reasons and the steps being taken to address any difficulties, including consideration of a review of the adoption plan and/or a possible change to long-term fostering/separation of siblings.
The Adoption Panel may request an earlier progress report on an individual case when first considering the child.
The Panel also receives monthly updates from the manager of the adoption service in relation to all children approved for adoption and who, since approval, have been waiting for longer than 6 months for a placement.
The outcome of any reviews as set out above should be notified to the child (depending on his/her age and understanding), the birth parents (in appropriate cases) and any other relevant person.

The child's details should be passed to the Adoption Register if no locally identified match is being actively pursued at the latest by 3 months after the decision by the Agency Decision Maker that the child should be placed for adoption.

12. Adoptive Placements Abroad

Where an adoptive placement outside the UK appears to be a viable option, and consultation with the child (if old enough) supports this, the proposal must be considered at a child's Looked After Review before becoming part of the child's Care Plan.

The child may be considered for an adoptive placement with known prospective adopters in which case it will be for the adoption agency to satisfy itself that the prospective adopters are suitable to adopt the child.

Otherwise, the child may be referred to the Department for Education for a suitable matching to be identified - see below.

In either circumstance, the case must be referred to the Adoption Panel for consideration before any further steps are taken to implement the plan.

Where the Adoption Panel recommends that the option should be pursued, legal advice must be given about the appropriate action to be taken.

The Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) must consider the recommendations and decide whether the option should be pursued and if so, that the appropriate legal action should be taken.

Where a decision is made to pursue the option, the child's social worker should consult with Legal Services in order to prepare the Court application.

Where no Prospective Adopters have been identified

When Court Order is made, the child's social worker should report again to the Adoption Panel seeking a formal recommendation that adoption outside the UK is in the best interests of the child. Where Panel make this recommendation, the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) should decide whether this option can be formally pursued.

Where such a decision is made, the child's social worker must notify the Department for Education of the following:

The child's file reference number
The child's name
The child's date of birth
The gender of the child
The reasons why the decision has been made that adoption outside the UK may be suitable for the child
The date of the Court Order

The Department for Education maintains a list of children waiting for inter country adoption.

If a decision is made after the child's name is placed on the list that an inter country adoptive placement is no longer appropriate, the child's social worker must inform the Department for Education so that the child's details are removed from the list.

Where the Department for Education receive an application from a foreign country, it will check that the prospective adopters have been assessed as eligible and suitable, and that they meet the age and marital status of the UK law, and if so, consider whether there are children of the age and gender to match the prospective adopters' approval.

Where there are children on the list who appear, on the face of it, to match the prospective adopters, the Department for Education will send the relevant papers on the prospective adopters to the local authority looking after the child.

Upon receipt of the papers, the child's social worker in conjunction with the adoption service, will consider whether the prospective adopters would meet the child's needs. Where necessary, additional information should be requested from the overseas authority via the Department for Education.

Where it is decided that the prospective adopters are not suitable, the Department for Education should be notified and the papers returned.

Where it is decided that the prospective adopters are suitable, the Department for Children, Schools and Families should be notified and the proposed match referred to the Adoption Panel for consideration in accordance with the usual procedure. Included in the papers to be presented to the Adoption Panel must be the report on the prospective adopters by the foreign authority. The child's social worker must notify the Department for Education of the decision made.

Where the decision is to proceed with the matching, the child's social worker must send the Child's Permanence Report, together with the Court Order and a recent photograph of the child, to the Department for Education for onward transmission to the overseas authority and the prospective adopters.

Where the prospective adopters decide to go ahead with the placement, they will be required to travel to meet the child. The matching procedures will then apply as for any other potential placement.

Placement Planning Meetings should be convened in accordance with the usual placement procedures - see Section 8, Planning the Placement and Section 9, Information Sharing Prior to the Placement - to plan the prospective adopters' first meeting with the child, introductions and where the placement goes ahead, regular reports should be required from the relevant overseas authority after the placement.

If the prospective adopters still wish to go ahead and the Placement Planning Review confirms that the placement meets the child's needs, the child's social worker must inform the Department for Education, who will contact the overseas authority to confirm that they are content for the placement to go ahead and that the child will be permitted to enter and reside permanently.

In these circumstances, the Department for Education will enter the necessary agreement with the overseas authority.

The child's social worker can then arrange for the placement to go ahead.

The prospective adopters will need to seek independent legal advice about the need to apply for a Convention Adoption Order in the UK (which will require the child to be with the adopters for at least 6 months) or an Order from the High Court granting them Parental Responsibility to take the child outside the UK for the purposes of adoption.

The prospective adopters will need to arrange for the foreign authority to monitor the placement as required by the Adoption Placement Plan.

Where Prospective Adopters have been identified

It will be for the adoption service to satisfy itself that the prospective adopters are suitable to adopt the child. The assessment should usually be carried out in the prospective adopters' country and then sent to the adoption agency in the same way as for any other prospective adopter.

The matching procedures will then apply as for any other potential placement.

Placement Planning Meetings should be convened in accordance with the usual placement procedures (see Section 8, Planning the Placement) to plan the prospective adopters' first meeting with the child, introductions and where the placement goes ahead, regular reports should be required from the relevant overseas authority after the placement.

The prospective adopters will need to seek independent legal advice about the need to apply for an Order from the High Court granting them parental responsibility to take the child outside the UK for the purposes of adoption.

The child's social worker will need to arrange for the foreign authority to monitor the placement as required by the Adoption Placement Plan.

End