4.10.11 Review of Adoptive Placements

1.	Arrangements for the review of adoption placements must be made so that a review is held: Within 4 weeks of the placement Not more than 3 months after the first review unless an application for an adoption order has been made At least every 6 months thereafter until an adoption order has been made.
2.	The Adoption Review, including a review of the Adoption Support Plan, will be merged with the child's Looked After Review, and the procedures for convening and chairing the review contained in Looked After Reviews Procedure should be followed. The child's social worker should ensure that all relevant parties, including appropriate members of the adoption service, are invited. N.B. There is no requirement to invite the birth parents to attend, although their views may be ascertained and reported to the review - see paragraph 4 below.
3.	Where there are concerns that the placement is at risk of breaking down or where a placement has been made with parental consent and notice is received that such consent has been withdrawn, the child's social worker should alert the Independent Reviewing Officer of the likely need for an urgent review meeting. A Review meeting must be convened within a maximum of 3 working days. The Review should consider and identify the difficulties and consider whether any support can be provided to address the situation. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, for example child protection concerns and/or significant risk, no decision to move a child from a placement shall take place without a formal Review having taken place. In such circumstances, legal advice should be sought as soon as possible and prior to any action being taken. Where parental consent has been withdrawn, urgent legal advice should be taken as to whether an application should be made for a Placement Order.
4.	For all Reviews, the child's social worker must prepare a Review Report, covering the areas listed in paragraph 6) below and incorporating the views of the child, the prospective adopters, the prospective adopters' link worker, the birth parents or other birth family members (in appropriate cases) and any other relevant person. Relevant others may be, for example, other children living in the prospective adopter's home, anyone having contact with the child, the child's health visitor, therapist or teacher. The report should be circulated to all invitees prior to the meeting.
5.	As part of the Review, the Independent Reviewing Officer must as far as reasonably practicable ascertain the views of the child (having regard to his or her age and understanding), the prospective adopters and any other person the agency considers relevant. This will include the child's parent or guardian where appropriate.
6.	The Review will consider and evaluate the adoption placement in terms of meeting the child's needs and the objectives set at each review and in particular consider the following areas: The child's Health Care Plan (including arrangements for the child's medical and dental care) The child's educational progress Any regression in the child's development since the placement Evidence of the child's attachment to the prospective adopters Observations of any grieving process in relation to the previous carers Any direct work being undertaken or required Any concerns The Adoption Support Plan and whether it should continue or be altered The arrangements for the exercise of Parental Responsibility in the placement and whether they should continue or be altered The contact arrangements and whether they should continue or be altered Outstanding Court proceedings The timing of the adoption application The timing of the 'Later in Life Letter' from the social worker being given to the child (prior to the Adoption Order) Responsibility for providing Court reports Date for next review
7.	The Review will usually take place, with the agreement of the prospective adopters, at the adoptive home.
8.	The Independent Reviewing Officer will complete the Record of Discussion and Decision within 10 days of the Review and send it to the child's social worker for distribution to the child (depending on age) and the prospective adopters. The child's social worker must ensure that a record of the Review is placed on the child's Adoption Case Record. Unless the birth parents have expressed a wish not to be notified of any information about the child, they should receive an anonymised summary of the Review's outcomes.
9.	Where a child has been placed for adoption but not adopted within 12 months, the child's social worker must 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.
10.	The child's social worker must notify the Independent Reviewing Officer immediately once an Adoption Order is made.
11.	Following the making of an Adoption Order, the child's social worker must complete the child's Adoption Case Record and send it to the adoption service for safe storage within 2 months of the Adoption Order being granted.
The computer recording system should also record the Adoption Order.

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