Placement for Adoption

1. Planning for Permanence

1.1	Every Looked After Child must have a Permanence Plan by the date of their second Looked After Children's Review. However, a child's exit from care should be considered at the point they are entering, thinking about the possible longer term plans, reducing the risk of drift and allowing for early permanence planning where the child is likely to require a permanent home outside of the birth family.
1.2	When an adoption plan is being considered in relation to a Looked After Child, or child at home with a possible adoption plan, an Early Permanence worker from the Adoption Service must be invited to the relevant meeting. They will then attend subsequent permanency planning meetings to advise on process and consider potential adoption placements.
1.3	In relation to a Relinquished Child, an early planning meeting should be arranged to which a representative of the Adoption Service must be invited. Where adoption is considered to be the preferred option for a relinquished child, it should begin family finding immediately in order to achieve early placement following the decision. Also see Relinquished Children Procedures: Bexley Children's Services Procedures, Relinquished Children Procedure; Kent Children's Services Procedures, Relinquished Babies and Children Procedure; Medway Children's Services Procedures, Relinquished Children Procedure.
1.4	Consideration should be given to whether an early permanence placement is appropriate as soon as adoption is under consideration, and before the Agency Decision Maker decides that the child should be placed for adoption or a Placement Order is made.
1.5	In the case of siblings, an early decision should be taken as to whether it is in the best interests of each child to be placed together or separately, and the impact on each child of that decision. The decision should be based on a balanced assessment of the individual needs of each child in the group, and the likely or possible consequences of each option on each child. Factors that may need to be considered will include: the nature of the sibling group (do the siblings know each other/how are they related/could a relationship be established); whether the children have formed positive attachments, or whether new approaches and parenting can improve these relationships; the individual needs of each child, including their health needs, and whether their needs can be met together; and each child's view (noting that a child's views and perceptions will change over time). See also: Bexley Children's Services Procedures, Permanence Planning Guidance; Kent Children's Services Procedures, Permanence Planning Guidance; Medway Children's Services Procedures, Permanence Planning Guidance.
1.6	Section 22C of the Children Act 1989 (amended by the Children and Families Act 2014)) imposes upon local authorities a duty that where: They are considering adoption for a child (this can be at an early stage, and can be before a decision has been made by the Agency Decision Maker that the child should be placed for adoption); or They are satisfied that the child ought to be placed for adoption, but do not yet have authority to place the child for adoption (either by way of parental consent or by way of a Placement Order); Then the local authority MUST consider placing the child with: (Firstly) a relative, friend or Connected Person who is also a local authority foster carer; or Where they decide that a placement with such a person is not the most appropriate placement for the child, they must consider placing the child with a local authority foster carer who has been approved as a prospective adopter (a 'dually approved carer').
1.7	Section 9 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 amended section 1(4)(f) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 adding into the list of considerations whenever a court or adoption agency is coming to a decision relating to the adoption of a child, and now includes the child's relationship with any person who is a prospective adopter with whom the child is placed, as well as the relationships which the child has with their relatives and with any other persons the court or agency considers to be relevant. See Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters Procedure.
1.8	Early actions that should be taken in planning for adoption are: Completion of the Parental Health Assessment (PH) by the child's social worker and requesting M/B forms (for information on medical information, see Section 5, Child's Adoption Medical); Requesting photographs of the child's early life and birth family, and ensuring that foster carers are taking photographs regularly; Starting to gather information for the Child's Permanence Report; Instructing Legal Services for disclosure of reports to be presented to the Court, and seeking permission to profile the child prior to the granting of a Placement Order, where appropriate.

2. Obtaining Agency Approval to the Adoption Plan

2.1	Not all cases must be referred to the Adoption Panel. Cases where the criteria apply for the local authority to apply for a Placement Order, i.e. the child is the subject of a Care Order or the Threshold Criteria for a Care Order are satisfied or where there is no parent or guardian, will not be referred to the Adoption Panel for a recommendation, but will be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) for a decision. All other cases (i.e. where the parents have given consent and there is no application for a Placement Order) will continue to be referred to the Adoption Panel for a recommendation, which the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) will take into account when making a decision. As soon as adoption is the Permanence Plan for the child, the child's social worker must: Arrange a date for the case to be referred to the Adoption Panel (where the parents have given consent and there is no application for a Placement Order)/ Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) (in all other cases); This date 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 reason should be recorded; Continue to provide counselling for the child - see Section 3, Preparation of Child for Adoption; The Adoption Early Permanence worker should already be attending Permanency Planning Meetings and maintaining the link with the adoption service in adoption planning, monitoring the case until the point of allocation of a family finder. A family finder is allocated on receipt of the adoption decision. When a child is placed in an Early Permanence placement the early permanence worker will take on the family finding role.
2.2	An Adoption Case Record should be opened for the child once adoption has been identified as the permanence plan for the child at their 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.
2.3	If not already obtained, the child's social worker should obtain at least 4 certified copies of the child's full birth certificate. These will be required for future Court applications and for the prospective adopters.
2.4	The child's social worker should give both birth parents written information on adoption and ask them to sign confirmation of receipt, a copy of which should be kept on the child's Adoption Case Record and a further copy should be handed to the parents. If either or both of the birth parents refuse to accept or do not receive the information, this should be recorded, with reasons, on the child's case record 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. See also Section 4, Counselling and Support for Parents.
2.5	If not already obtained, 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. Forms M & B should also be sent to the hospital without delay - for detailed procedures, see Section 5, Child's Adoption Medical. Where a child remains at home, not subject to an interim care order, this should be raised with the legal representatives of the other parties, to ascertain whether the parents will consent to the medical assessment taking place in a situation where the local authority does not share parental responsibility for the child. If the parents will not consent, then an order (e.g. interim Care Order or a specific issues order will need to be sought) to ensure that there is no unnecessary delay in advancing a final Care Plan of adoption.
2.6	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 - see Section 4, Counselling and Support for Parents. If either or both of the parents decline or refuse counselling and/or support, then this should be recorded, including the reasons, in the child's electronic record and Adoption Case Record.
2.7	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 Department for Works and Pensions and other agencies (including the Council Tax Register, the Passport Office and the housing authority) as appropriate. Consideration should also be given to the need to place advertisements in the local and national press and legal advice should be sought as to any additional steps that should be taken, including a search on social media.
2.8	The child's social worker must contact the child's health visitor for current information in relation to the child's health and development.
2.9	The child's social worker must contact the child's school or the relevant local education service for current information in relation to the child's educational needs.
2.10	The child's social worker must ask the child's carer to complete a report on the child - see Carers Report (This will be required for the Child's Permanence Report - see paragraph 2.13).
2.11	The child's social worker must ensure that the adoption plan addresses the issue of post-placement and post-adoption contact. This will include a possible meeting between the parents and the adopters, and whether there may be ongoing direct contact or indirect contact via options such as letterbox or email exchange, photo and video exchange, or meetings between the parents and the adopters via an online platform - see Section 6, Post-placement 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, address the issue of post-placement and post-adoption contact between them.
2.12	The child's social worker and the family finder must also carry out an analysis of the likely needs for adoption support services in relation to the child (including the likely need for financial support), the birth parents and any other person with a significant relationship to the child. For the detailed procedures, see Adoption Support Procedure.
2.13	Using all the information obtained in relation to the above, the child's social worker must prepare the Child's Permanence Report. The Child's Permanence Report must be written by the social worker who knows the child best, who must also be a qualified social worker with suitable experience (see Adoption Panel Procedure). The following areas must be included or 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; A summary, written by the agency's medical adviser, of the state of the child's health, health history and any need for health care which might arise in the future; The child's wishes in relation to the adoption plan and their preferred method of communication; A chronology of the child's life since birth; The preparation work, undertaken and planned, with the child and the views of the child in relation to the adoption plan and future contact with their birth family; The views of the Children's Guardian; The views of the birth family and significant others in relation to the adoption plan and staying in touch arrangements and their opportunity to receive and comment on the report before the report is presented to Adoption Panel/Agency Decision Maker; A report of the child's educational history and current needs, including the Personal Education Plan (PEP) or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP); Any other relevant specialist reports on the child; An analysis of the child's emotional and behavioural development, including a report of their therapeutic support needs if applicable; An assessment of the child's needs for post-placement and post-adoption staying in touch arrangements, including with siblings, and the child's and birth relatives' needs for adoption support services; A chronology of the decisions and actions taken by the agency with respect to the child; An analysis of the options for the child's future care and the alternatives to adoption considered. This must be a balanced view and where experts' assessments are available, their contents and recommendations - even if not supportive of the adoption plan - should be included; Where the child has siblings, whether the decision is to place siblings separately or together and the rationale for the decision; The views of the Independent Reviewing Officer, or where the child remains at home, the views of the Child Protection Chair; Any other information which the agency considers relevant. Those parts of the Report that contain factual information about the birth family should be shared with the relevant family members to enable them to confirm their accuracy and agree to it being passed on to a child in due course. Any such agreement should be clearly recorded on the child's case record. Each of the child's parents should be shown those parts of the Report which set out their views and wishes, and given the opportunity, if they so wish, to express these in their own words. Where appropriate, the relevant sections of the Report should also be provided to the child. When shared, the parents should be asked to sign the Report to confirm they have seen it and have had the opportunity to provide any written comments they wish to make. See Adoption Decision Checklist for further guidance as to the documents required for consideration of an adoption decision.
	Presentation to the Adoption Panel for an adoption plan decision in respect of Adoption by Consent
2.14	See paragraph 2.1 for circumstances when the case will be referred to the Adoption Panel, and when the case will be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker. Where cases are referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker, paragraph 2.14 does not apply and the procedure is set out in 2.15 below. 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 is suitable to be placed for adoption, the child's social worker must present the following reports: 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), and a photograph of the child, together with the parents' written comments (if any); The child's health report and the health information obtained in relation to the parents (where the Medical Adviser so advises); Legal advice about parental consent and the option of seeking a Placement Order; Where experts' assessments are available (including where they have been filed in Court proceedings), their contents and recommendations - even if not supportive of the adoption plan - should be presented to the Agency Decision Maker. The full reports should be presented unless they are voluminous, in which case, as a minimum, those sections setting out the experts' opinion, conclusions and recommendations should be provided. A written summary of such reports should only be provided if all parties to the court proceedings agree in writing that the summary is fair and accurate. Copies of the full reports should be available for Panel members (at the panel meeting) and the Agency Decision Maker to consult if desired. The child's social worker will send the relevant reports to the Panel Administrator at least 10 working days before the relevant date of the Adoption Panel. The child's social worker, together with their manager if appropriate, will attend the Panel meeting during consideration of the matter. Where a Children's Guardian has been appointed, consideration should be given to inviting the Children's Guardian to the Panel during consideration of this item; however, there is no requirement upon the Panel to allow the children's guardian to attend the Panel and make oral submissions. The report of the Children's Guardian must not be disclosed without the leave of the court. 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). Where the Panel recommends that the child should be placed for adoption, it must consider and may give advice as to future contact arrangements for the child and whether an application for a Placement Order should be made. The recommendation and advice will be recorded in writing, together with reasons, in the Panel's minutes. A copy of the relevant minutes must be held on the child's Adoption Case Record. For cases which are presented to the Adoption Panel, the final minutes must be produced promptly and agreed by the Panel members and then sent to the Agency Decision Maker, together with the reports considered by the Panel, to allow the decision to be made within seven working days of receipt of the panel's recommendation and final set of panel minutes. The Agency Decision Maker must record their decision in writing, together with reasons. Where the Agency Decision Maker is minded to disagree with the Panel recommendation, they must first discuss the case with another senior officer with relevant experience, who must not be a Panel member, (usually the Agency Adviser). This discussion must be recorded and placed on the child's Adoption Case Record.
	Referral directly to Agency Decision Maker for an adoption plan decision
2.15	See paragraph 2.1 for circumstances when the case will be referred to the Adoption Panel, and when the case will be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker. Where cases are to be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker for a decision, a time should be booked with the Agency Decision Maker for the decision to be made and this should be a maximum of 2 months from the date when the adoption plan was ratified at the child's Looked After Review. In order for the decision to be made within this timescale, the Agency Decision Maker should be sent the same reports and information as would be submitted to the Adoption Panel, as set out in paragraph 2.14 Presentation to the Adoption Panel. The child's social worker will send the relevant reports to the Agency Adviser at least 5 working days before the relevant date booked with the Agency Decision Maker. The Agency Adviser will be responsible for checking the quality of the reports before they are submitted to the Agency Decision Maker. In making the decision the Agency Decision Maker may discuss the case with the Agency Adviser, Medical Adviser and legal adviser. However, there is no provision for adjourning the decision to allow time for taking advice. N.B. The Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) is expressly prohibited from referring a case to the Adoption Panel for advice. The principles of the decision-making should be as set out in Adoption Panel Procedure, Agency Decision Maker.
	After the Decision
2.16	The parents will be informed orally of the agency's decision within two working days by the child's social worker and written confirmation should be sent to them within five working days. The written confirmation will be sent by the adoption panel administrator, on behalf of the Agency Decision Maker to the child's social worker, for them to share with the birth parents. Information regarding Birth Parent Counselling support (Barnardos CAFIS) should also be included. The letter setting out the agency decision should be sent by recorded delivery, except where delivery by hand has been agreed as appropriate. The child's social worker will also ensure that the child is informed of the decision in a timely and age-appropriate way. In cases where the case has been presented to the Adoption Panel and the decision is different from the Panel's recommendation, a copy of the Panel minutes should also be sent to the parents.
2.17	Where the Designated Manager has made a decision 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. The child's social worker should inform the child's Independent Reviewing Officer and family finding team of the Court timetable including when the placement application is filed. They should also be notified when changes to the court timetable occur. N.B. Local authorities cannot make applications for Placement Orders until it has been decided by the Agency Decision Maker that the child is suitable to be placed for adoption.
2.18	Where there is parental consent to the child's adoptive placement and/or advance parental consent to 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 there is parental consent to the child's placement and the child is less than 6 weeks old, the social worker should ask the parents to sign a written agreement in the prescribed form to facilitate an early placement.
2.19	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.
2.20	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).

3. Preparation of Child for Adoption

3.1	The child's social worker will ensure that Life Story Work with the child continues with the aim as 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 their wishes and feelings about the future; and The child has information about their birth family, which is kept safe 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 (see Local Resources) once the Placement order is granted. 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 where necessary to ensure that there is effective communication with the child. The social worker should specifically ensure that the child's wishes in relation to adoption, religious and cultural upbringing and contact with their birth family are ascertained. Where a child's wishes are not acted upon, for example a child's wish to be placed with their siblings, this should be explained to the child, with reasons, and should be fully recorded.
3.2	The foster carers' supervising social worker will support the foster carers in playing their part in the implementation of the plan, including careful recording by the foster carers of any changes in the child's behaviour.
3.3	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 9, 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 staying in touch arrangements with the birth family and how to contact their social worker.
3.4	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 the adoption ceremony, i.e. the ceremony to celebrate the making of the adoption order.

4. Counselling, Support and Information Sharing for Parents

4.1 Counselling and Support for Parents

4.1.1	Both parents must be offered counselling and 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. Every effort should be made to contact absent parents, including internet searches.
4.1.2	It may also be appropriate for members of the extended family to receive counselling or support, where they have played a significant role in the child's life. The Regional Adoption Agency works with Barnardo’s, to provide the Connecting Adoptive Families Independent Service (CAFIS). This is an independent and confidential support service for birth parents and relatives whose children are in the care of Bexley, Kent or Medway and where an adoption plan is being progressed.
4.1.3	The child's social worker must explain to both parents (including a parent without Parental Responsibility) the reasons for the adoption plan and the key stages of the adoption process, including the likely timescales and any staying in touch arrangements; in addition the social worker should provide them with written information on the adoption process covering the areas set out in paragraph 4.1.8 a) to g), l) and m) below and this should be recorded (see Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness).
4.1.4	If either or both of the birth parents refuse to accept or do not receive the written information, 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.
4.1.5	The child's social worker must also seek to ascertain the parent's views on the matters set out in paragraph 4.1.8, h) and k) below and offer to arrange independent support for both birth parents. The purpose of the support is to ensure that the alternatives to adoption have been explored and the implications of adoption fully discussed. It also offers the parents the opportunity to express their views in relation to the plans for the child, and to be involved in planning for the child's future wherever possible. Where the offer of support is accepted, the social worker should make the necessary arrangements for a referral for independent support to be made. With the parent's consent, a referral to Barnardo's can be made once the child's adoption plan has been agreed by the IRO and confirmed by the ADM. CAFIS will then contact the birth parent to offer support. The Agency Adviser will notify Barnardos of the Child's adoption plan following the ADM decision, to ensure they are aware of the child in the event that the parents contact them.
4.1.6	The support may need to be provided by a specialist worker, for example where the parent has poor mental health or learning disabilities. If so, the social worker should ensure that an appropriate resource is identified.
4.1.7	The specific needs of parents arising from their ethnicity must always be taken into account. An interpreter must be arranged where English is not their preferred language.
4.1.8	The counselling and support 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 to apply for a Contact Order, the right of the unmarried father to seek a Parental Responsibility Order a Child Arrangements Order in relation to the child; Explaining the role of the Adoption Panel/Agency Decision Maker; Explaining the role of CAFCASS in witnessing consent or acting as 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 register a wish not to be contacted; 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. Their views on these issues should be recorded; Dealing with grief and loss; Where there is parental consent to the adoption, explaining the process for giving their written consent to an adoptive placement or advance consent to the adoption (including the role of CAFCASS), their right to state that they do not wish to be informed of an adoption application, and that they have the right to withdraw their consent to an adoptive placement at any time up to the making of an adoption application, but the restriction of their rights to do so after an adoption application has been made; Ascertaining the parents' views on post-placement and post-adoption staying in touch arrangements 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.
4.1.9	The parents should be encouraged to seek legal advice particularly where they are opposed to the adoption plan. Where there is an unmarried father without Parental Responsibility, the social worker should also ascertain if he intends to apply for a Parental Responsibility Order and a Child Arrangements Order.
4.1.10	The parents and their solicitors, if appropriate, must be sent copies of any written consents and/or recording of their views.
4.1.11	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.
4.1.12	Where the parents are seeking to have an expected child adopted, the counselling must start before the baby's birth. 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. See also: Bexley Children's Services Procedures, Relinquished Children Procedure; Kent Children's Services Procedures, Relinquished Babies and Children Procedure; Medway Children's Services Procedures, Relinquished Children Procedure.
4.1.13	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.

4.2 Procedural Fairness

The local authority must ensure that the parents are informed and advised of the key stages of the plan for adoption so that the parents have every opportunity to challenge the plan. The adoption agency/local authority must be clear as to when it needs leave of the court to place a child and when a placement can be made without leave of the court.

In a judicial review, (see [2017] EWHC 1041 (Admin)) Placement for Adoption has been confirmed as having 'significant legal and emotional impacts for all involved, and so the child, the parent and the prospective adopters. So, it is an important step in the process leading to an adoption'. The judgement identifies that:

There is the opportunity for the person affected to make representation before the decision is acted upon;
The affected person is provided with information so that they can act in a timely way;
This information should relate 'to the relevant legal or administrative process or to facts relating to when a decision is to be made and put into effect'.

Therefore, as a matter of good practice, and especially where parents have indicated their opposition to an adoption order, the social worker should inform them in a timely way, and in writing, of their intention to proceed with the plan of placement for adoption. (Note: where the child is already in placement and is being adopted by, for example a foster carer, the same notice should be sent in respect of changing the status from that of being a 'Looked After Placement', to that of being 'Placed for Adoption').

Practitioners must bear in mind that a court's determination of 'procedural fairness' will not be based on what appears to them to be a typical interpretation of 'the best interests of the child', but on the issues highlighted above (see para 26, [2017] EWHC 1041 (Admin)).

'Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done', (para 44 in Re F (Placement Order) [2008] 2 FLR 550).

Birth Parents are provided with letters, on behalf of the ADM, at the point of the adoption decision and subsequently when a child is matched for adoption and a placement move is therefore planned. This does not replace that verbal communication that should exist between the social worker and birth parent regarding the plans for the child at each stage.

5. Child's Adoption Medical

5.1	As soon as the adoption plan becomes part of the child's Care Plan, the child's social worker should write to the Medical Adviser regarding a medical adviser’s report (MAR1) for the child. The Medical Adviser should be asked for advice on whether a full developmental medical is required and if so, who should conduct the medical and whether any tests or opinions are required. (In some cases, the Medical Adviser may consider that there is already sufficient up-to-date health information on the child and a further medical examination is not required).
5.2	The child's social worker should 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.
5.3	The child's social worker should write to the Medical Adviser requesting a medical for the child and at the same time inform the Medical Adviser when Forms B and M were requested. The child's social worker should write to the Medical Adviser requesting a medical for the child and at the same time inform the Medical Adviser when Forms B and M were requested. The procedure needs to be started without delay so that the adoption medical can be arranged; any adoption medical required must take place, and the report obtained, before the child's plan for adoption is considered by the Adoption Panel/Agency Decision Maker, (unless the Medical Adviser has advised it unnecessary - see paragraph 5.1). The Medical Adviser must be in a position to advise the Panel/Agency Decision Maker of the child's health needs.
5.4	The child's social worker must seek the cooperation of both birth parents to provide written consent to the disclosure of medical information if this has not already been provided, 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.
5.5	The importance of the disclosure of medical information must be explained to the parents but 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.
5.6	The child's social worker should send the relevant age-appropriate CoramBAAF Form for completion after the medical.
5.7	The foster carer should attend the medical with the child and, if appropriate, the child's social worker should also attend.
5.8	A further report from the Medical Adviser will be obtained for matching panel and will involve the children being seen for a physical examination. This examination should take place no longer than three months prior to the date of the matching Panel, or six months for children over 12 months old. Also see Guidance on Health Assessments Guidance Bexley Children's Services Procedures, Health Care Assessments and Plans Procedure; Kent Children's Services Procedures, Guidance on Health Assessments and Health Plans; Medway Children's Services Procedures, Health Care Assessments and Plans Procedure.

6. Post-placement Staying in Touch Arrangements

6.1	The child's social worker must undertake a written assessment as to the best interests of the child to support any staying in touch proposals as part of an adoption plan, or reasons why no staying in touch arrangements are recommended. This assessment will take account of the views of the child, the parents, the foster carers and any other significant family members, as well as evidence of attachment and the quality of relationships, based on observations of family time and the child's behaviour before, during and after family time.
6.2	Where there is a sibling group, each child must be assessed separately and together as a group.
6.3	The assessment should determine whether post-placement and post-adoption staying in touch arrangements 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 these arrangements will be influenced by the need to maintain relationships and/or support long-term identity issues.
6.4	Post-placement and post-adoption staying in touch arrangements may take the following forms: Adoptive parents providing non-identifying information about the child to the birth family through staying in touch by letter-box organised and maintained by the adoption service (one way indirect contact); Adoptive parents and the birth family sharing non-identifying information about themselves through staying in touch by letter-box organised and maintained by the adoption service (two way indirect contact); Staying in touch by direct letter box and/or telephone between the adoptive parents and the birth family; Direct face-to-face staying in touch arrangements between the child and the birth family, which may be organised and maintained by the adoption service, where such continuing support is appropriate.
6.5	Any proposed post-placement and post-adoption staying in touch arrangements should be in line with any Court Orders.
6.6	Where post-placement and post-adoption staying in touch arrangements are 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 7, Identification of Adoptive Parents (including Inter Agency Placements) and also part of the planning of the placement - see Section 9, Planning the Placement. Any plans for face to face staying in touch arrangements with siblings or birth relatives need to be discussed with the adoption service so they are able to advise on arrangements and any costs. A support plan confirmed with the adoption service should be in place that is ready to be shared with prospective adopters by the time of the Matching Meeting.

When making an Adoption Order, or at any time afterwards, the court may (upon application or on its own initiative) make an order for contact with, or an order prohibiting contact with, the person(s) named in the order. Such orders have effect until the child's 18th birthday, unless revoked sooner.

An order for contact requires the adopter to allow the child to visit, stay with or otherwise have contact with, the person named in the order.

The following people may be named in an order:

The child;
The Agency;
Any person who (but for the child's adoption) would be related to the child by blood (including half-blood), marriage or civil partnership;
Any former guardian of the child;
Any person who had Parental Responsibility for the child immediately before the making of the Adoption Order;
Any person with whom the child has lived for a period of at least one year (this period need not be continuous, but must be within the last 5 years);
Any person who had a previous order for contact under Children Act 1989, which ceased to have effect upon the agency being authorised to place the child for adoption;
Any person who had a Child Arrangements Order (previously Residence Order) immediately before the agency was authorised to place the child for adoption;
Any person who had care of the child under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court immediately before the agency was authorised to place the child for adoption.

The adopters or the child may apply without the leave of the court, whilst any other person, including the child's birth parents and other birth relatives, e.g. grandparents or siblings, would need the court's leave to apply.

In deciding whether to grant leave to apply, the court must consider:

Any risk there might be of the proposed application disrupting the child's life to such an extent that they would be harmed by it (within the meaning of the 1989 Act);
The applicant's connection with the child; and
Any representations made to the court by the child and/or the adopter/prospective adopter.

Orders may contain directions about how they are to take effect, or may be made subject to such conditions as the court thinks appropriate.

The court will issue a timetable and directions with the aim of resolving the application without delay.

Applications prohibiting contact are unlikely to be necessary in the majority of cases and are only likely to be appropriate to stop unwanted, unsolicited and potentially harmful contact with the child, or to prevent such contact happening.

The circumstances in which a birth parent, relative or other person are most likely to seek the court's leave to apply for an order for contact after adoption are where an agreement for some form of continuing contact had been made, but was not adhered to.

Application can be made to the court to vary or revoke such orders, by the child, adopter or person named in the order.

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

The adoption agency has a duty to identify prospective adopters as soon as reasonably practicable. Preliminarily the Early Permanence lead should begin to work alongside the child's social worker as soon as adoption is under consideration, and before the Agency Decision Maker decides that the child should be placed for adoption or a Placement Order is made.

Careful matching contributes to the stability of placements. In determining whether a prospective adopter may be suitable to adopt the child, an assessment must be made of the ability of the prospective adopter to meet the needs of the child throughout childhood. Assessments that identify adopters as suitable for a child will be informed by a clear understanding of that child’s needs and of the skills necessary to help and support them. The agency will ensure that full information is shared with adopters prior to a placement so that appropriate care can be provided.

Consideration must be given as to whether there are suitable carers available under the Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters Procedure.

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 within 4 months of the agency being given the authority to place the child (e.g. a Placement Order being made), except in the following cases;
Where a parent requests adoption for a child of less than six months of age, the match is to be identified, recommended by the Adoption Panel and approved within 3 months of the agency's formal approval that the child is suitable to be placed for adoption.

7.1	Following the identification of the family finder or early permanence worker (see paragraph 2.1), the timing of the start of family finding will depend on the legal position and be agreed between the child's social worker and the family finder/early permanence worker.
7.2	The child's social worker and the family finder will address the following issues: The preparation of the child's profile, including photographs and a recording of the child, and to identify any other information about the child, which is needed in order to identify a suitable family; To consider who should undertake the preparation of the child, (also sharing the age appropriate 'Children's guide to Adoption') 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); To agree that the social worker will keep Legal Services informed of developments and seek the Court's leave to early family finding (if appropriate) where Court proceedings are ongoing; To consider, with the IRO and the fostering service, whether or not the child's current carer would be appropriate as a prospective permanent placement - if so, see paragraph 7.8; To plan the family finding work, giving consideration to the availability of in-house approved families (including those going through the assessment process), the opportunity of an inter-agency placement, and exploration of families in the national, local and other media. There should also be consideration of featuring the child at national adoption events and exchanges if necessary, seeking agreement to funding, in principal, for any potential family finding costs and inter-agency placement needed. To agree time-scales for the family finding work including the holding of progress meetings. The family finder, in liaison with the child's social worker and current foster carer will complete the child's profile, identifying the child's needs within a matching matrix in relation to a new family, including ethnicity, culture, religion, language, staying in touch arrangements 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. The profile should identify which needs are essential and which are preferred (Note: If the prospective adopter can meet most of the child's needs, the social worker must not delay placing a child with the prospective adopter because they are single, older than other adopters or do not share the child's racial or cultural background). Where the profile indicates the child should not be placed locally, there should also be a written risk assessment to support this conclusion.
	Family Finding Process
7.3	Upon a family finder being allocated to a child, the family finder will need to be invited to all meetings that are pertinent to the child including, but not limited to, Child in Care Reviews, Permanency Planning Meetings and Personal Education Plans, in order to gain a full understanding of the child and their needs for both now and in the future. Where is appropriate, the family finder should visit the child within their foster home to help to form an assessment of the child’s needs and to be able to get to know the child’s personality, their likes and their dislikes in order to build a profile of the child. Photos and video clips will be gathered by the family finder from the foster carer. Consideration should be given as to the amount of visits undertaken by the family finder taking into account the evolving needs of the child and whether support will need to be given to the child’s social worker by the family finder in preparing the child for the transition to an adoptive home. In circumstances that it is felt to be appropriate by the professional network for the family finder to support in direct work with the child, regular visits by the family finder may be appropriate in order to build a trusting relationship with the child. It is to be noted that, where there is an established relationship between the child and their social worker, the child’s social worker is most likely best placed to complete this direct work. Where is appropriate, once a profile is completed and prior to the conclusion of the final hearing, the child will be profiled by the family finder to internal adoption social workers within an Early Alerts Event. This will enable early discussions to take place between the family finder and adoption social workers to identify potential links to be able to explore. The family finder, alongside profiling within the Early Alerts Event, will actively search Linkmaker (a national adoption profiling website) for profiles of available internal prospective adopters that may be a suitable link to explore further. Where discussions are taking place prior to the child being subject to a Placement Order, the Child’s Permanence Report can be provided to the adopters’ social worker however this must not be shared with prospective adopters at this stage, unless consent has been provided by the court. Anonymised information can be discussed by the adoption social worker with prospective adopters to aid matching exploration. Should a Placement Order be granted and potential links have not been identified within initial internal searches of prospective adopters and profiling within the Early Alerts Event, the child will be profiled within a profiling event to internal adoption social workers and prospective adopters. These events are held on a monthly basis, with the frequency of the child to be profiled to be agreed between the family finder and their team manager. This can be continued alongside external searches if required (see Inter-Agency Placements below). The child will also have a Linkmaker profile that is available initially to internal prospective adopters and adoption social workers only. Where potential links are identified, the family finder will be provided with the Prospective Adopters’ Report (PAR) by the adoption social worker of each prospective adoptive family to consider. The strengths and vulnerabilities of each potential link will be considered and the strongest match will be shortlisted. The PAR will then be provided to the child’s social worker and their team manager for their consideration. In some circumstances this may be more than one PAR and the child’s social worker and their team manager will need to select the prospective adopters that they wish to progress further with. A decision should be made by the child’s social worker within 5 working days of receiving a PAR as to whether they wish to progress to visiting a family. Once a decision is made to visit prospective adopters, the family finder must provide a redacted Child’s Permanence Report, most recent Review Health Assessment and Medical Advisor’s Report to the adoption social worker who will then share this with the prospective adopters. This will need to be shared in good time to enable the prospective adopters to have the opportunity to read thoroughly and identify areas that they feel that they may need to discuss further. A visit to the prospective adopters should take place as soon as is possible once a decision is made by the child’s social worker to progress further. It is best practice for this visit to be within 5 working days of the family being identified or the Placement Order being granted (whichever is later), and will include the child’s social worker, the family finder, the prospective adopters and their adoption social worker within the prospective adopters’ home. Following a visit to the prospective adopters being undertaken, a Feedback Meeting will be held between the family finder, child’s social worker and adoption social worker, to discuss the visit and determine whether there is agreement to continue to progress with the potential link. The timescale for when this meeting will take place will be agreed within the social worker visit to the family, however must be as soon as is practically possible whilst allowing for an opportunity for the prospective adopters to be able to reflect upon the information that they have with their adoption social worker. The child's social worker must discuss the selection with their team manager, and the discussion recorded on the child's Adoption file. Availability for this meeting should not be a cause for delay, with alternative arrangements to then be agreed such as written feedback to be provided to the family finder. The discussion held within the Feedback Meeting, or alternative written feedback, should be recorded on the child’s Adoption file by the family finder. If the decision is made to progress, the timeline of the match should be outlined including the provisional booking of the Matching Meeting and Matching Panel to ensure that there is no delay. Prospective adopters must be kept fully informed of the next steps and timescales by their adoption social worker. If it is agreed not to progress further, the reasons for this must be clearly recorded on the child’s Adoption file. If the family finder and the child’s social worker are not able to agree on a decision as to whether or not to progress with a potential link, a discussion should take place with the respective team managers and/or service managers for both Child in Care and Adoption to establish a clear plan forward. Heads of Service should be advised where these discussions may impact on timescales for placement of a child. Once agreement is reached to progress with a potential link and prior to the Matching Meeting being held, a visit to the prospective adopters by the child’s current foster carer will be arranged for as soon as is practically possible. This visit will include the foster carer, the family finder, the prospective adopters and their adoption social worker. The fostering social worker is also able to attend to support the foster carer if this is felt to be needed. This will be an opportunity for a relationship to begin to be built between the adults, whilst also enabling the foster carer to be able to share experiences of caring for the child, their daily routines and the child’s personality, as well as the challenges that they experience, if any, and the way that they manage these. Where is both relevant and appropriate, the family finder will arrange for the prospective adopters to meet with the child’s school or nursery to gain an understanding of how the child is within their education setting, any support that is provided and what the child is likely to need within an education provision both now and in the future. At this stage, the child’s social worker will request an appointment for the child to be seen by the Medical Advisor in order for them to complete their medical advice (MAR 2). Once the request for the appointment is completed, the family finder is able to make a request for the Prospective Adopters’ Meeting (PAM) with the Medical Advisor in which they are able to discuss the child’s current health needs as well as any genetic or environmental implications both now and in the future. Critical information about the child's health, educational and/or developmental needs, and emotional needs is to be shared at key points in the process. Post selection and prior to the Matching Meeting, the family finder will provide the linked prospective adopters with as much information as is possible and legally permissible. The Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR), part 12, chapter 7 deals with the communication of information (whether or not contained in a document filed with the court) in proceedings which relate to children i.e. proceedings under the CA 1989 as well as proceedings relating to the exercise of the court's inherent jurisdiction and proceedings under the European Convention, the Council Regulation and the 1996 Hague Convention. Those provisions are largely mirrored in relation to adoption, placement and related proceedings under the ACA 2002 by FPR 2010, part 14, rule 14.4. In short, these rules provide that information from proceedings relating to children which are held in private can only be communicated to a limited range of persons and bodies for specific purposes as set out in the FPR and the associated practice directions, or with the permission of the court. Prospective adopters are not included in the lists of persons in the FPR to whom information can be disclosed. Therefore, if the local authority wishes to disclose specific documents which have been filed in care and/or placement proceedings to prospective adopters, permission must be sought from the court. The child's social worker, in consultation with the early permanence lead and/or family finding team, should identify prior to the final hearing of the care proceedings whether there are any key reports or other documents which they consider would assist prospective adopters in understanding the history and specific needs of a child or sibling group who may be placed with them. Legal advice should be sought from the solicitor dealing with the care proceedings in this regard. While the Child’s Permanence Report will provide the prospective adopters with a summary of the assessments completed in care proceedings, this does not give the detailed information and analysis. Therefore prospective adopters may be assisted by having access to expert assessments filed in the proceedings, for instance, by a psychologist or psychiatrist which provides detailed advice about the type of therapeutic care a child will need to overcome emotional, behavioural or psychological difficulties. In a situation where prospective adopters are considering accepting a placement of a sibling group, it might assist them to have sight of a comprehensive sibling assessment which has been filed in the proceedings. Other examples of documents which might be of assistance include medical reports relating to children and copies of the final analysis and recommendations of the children's guardian and, in some situations, copies of a fact-finding or final judgment. In all cases where disclosure of documents filed in proceedings is being sought, consideration should be given as to whether there is a need to redact any information contained in a report to protect the confidentiality of third parties. If, for example, there is information in a report about the birth parents that it is not appropriate to share with prospective adopters this can be redacted from the version of the report that is provided to prospective adopters. Redactions may need to be approved by the court and/or agreed with the other parties to the court proceedings. There will not usually be a need for the local authority to make a formal application for leave to disclose documents from care proceedings to prospective adopters, where that application is being made at the conclusion of the proceedings. A list of suggested documents to be disclosed to prospective adopters can be included in the local authority's final case summary/position statement and discussed by the parties at the hearing. The child's medical history (including the birth details), the carer's report on the child, the current school reports and the child's PEP, should also be shared with prospective adopters. The items provided should be clearly recorded and the prospective adopters should be asked to sign confirmation of receipt of this information, and their agreement to keep the information confidential. The potential adoptive family may meet the Medical Advisor prior to the matching meeting if this is deemed necessary.
7.4	The family finder will arrange a Matching Meeting to be held as soon as is possible following the necessary information-gathering visits having been undertaken. The child’s matching matrix will be sent to the adoption social worker following the social work visit to enable them to complete the section identifying how the prospective adopters will meet the child’s identified needs. This will need to be returned to the family finder prior to the Matching Meeting to enable this to be shared with the professional network to aid discussion. The Matching Meeting will involve the child's social worker, the family finder, the adopter's social worker, the foster carer and their fostering support worker. The meeting will be chaired by a manager or senior practitioner within the adoption service. The purpose of the Matching Meeting is to formally confirm if the match is to proceed to the adoption panel, what tasks need to be completed prior to panel, timescales and who is responsible for each action. Other aims of the matching meeting are to consider: The preparation of the child, the present carers and the prospective adopters for the proposed placement, including the sharing of information with the prospective adopters; The preparation of the birth family and the information to be given; The allocation of preparatory tasks for the introductory work; The proposed Adoption Support Plan and any proposed contact arrangements; The designated roles and responsibilities for completing the Adoption Placement Report and the proposed Adoption Support Plan. When the Medical Advisor’s Report (MAR 2) will be undertaken with the child, and subsequent Prospective Adopters’ Meeting (PAM) with the Medical Advisor will take place; Arrangements for ‘Wish You Well’ Family Time; when this will take place, who will be present and how will the child be prepared for this; Whether a Matching Exploration Visit would be helpful to explore further. It is to be noted that these visits will require transparency for the child as opposed to visits ‘at a distance’. It is likely that videos provided by the foster carer will provide a greater wealth of information for prospective adopters than observing the children from afar in the community.
7.5	The decision of the Matching Meeting should be deferred where further information is required. Where prospective adopters are not selected, their adoption worker will offer follow up discussions and support with them as required. At the point of a positive recommendation from a Matching Meeting, a WhatsApp Group is able to be set up to include the prospective adopters, foster carers and also the social workers as identified by the family finder. The appropriate time for the WhatsApp Group to be set up will be considered by the family finder and discussed with the professional network. Foster carers are able to share updating photos and videos of the child with prospective adopters via the WhatsApp Group, with professionals to encourage the use of the group to build relationships between the adults.
7.6	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, at both an individual and institutional level. A prospective adopter can be matched with a child with whom they do not share the same ethnicity, if they can respect, reflect or actively develop a child's racial identity from the point they are matched and as they develop throughout their childhood. The prospective adopter needs to demonstrate they fully understand that having a child from a different ethnic group will present a number of challenges, not least that there may be visible differences that can affect a child's self-esteem and increase their possible feelings of difference. For example, the child may have to deal with questions from their peers about why they are 'different' to their family. With effect from July 2014, by virtue of the Children and Families Act 2014, adoption agencies no longer have to give due consideration to a child's religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background when matching a child and prospective adopters. When a child has developed a sense of their culture or religion, and where they have already begun to speak a language other than English, it is important to find prospective adopters who, while not necessarily sharing any of these, are willing and able to help the child develop these important elements of their future identity. Where a child is very young, particularly when still in infancy, it is important not to make assumptions about religion, culture or language and these should not be imposed on a very young child. A sense of one's culture is developed over time and it should not be assumed that an infant possesses a cultural, linguistic or religious background. These issues can be explored with the child as they grow up and a sensitive prospective adopter will encourage the child, if they wish to do so, to probe these aspects of their birth parents' background. All prospective adopters should help children placed with them to understand and appreciate their background and, particularly in the case of older children, their religion, linguistic or cultural background, for example, celebrating cultural or religious festivals.
7.7	If there are no suitable in-house prospective or approved adoptive carers who can meet the child's identified essential needs, the family finding worker must explore inter-agency options without delay, obtaining agreement to funding for this (see Inter-Agency Placements below).
7.8	Where foster carers express an interest in adopting a child they are looking after, and there is an adoption plan for the child, the child's social worker will organise a permanency planning meeting to consider the request and resolve any issues, for example financial implications, possible separation of siblings etc. The Independent Reviewing Officer, family finder, fostering social worker, and foster carer (for part of the meeting) are to be invited. The chair of the meeting will be the Service Manager of the Child in Care service or their nominee. This will be followed by a visit to the carers by the family finder and the child's social worker. If the outcome of the meeting is that the foster carers are not able to meet the child's long-term needs, the consideration of adopters as set out in the preceding and following paragraphs of this chapter will apply. The foster carers' supervising worker will provide support and counselling to the foster carers as appropriate. The case will be allocated for an assessment of the foster carers as adopters to proceed (see Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters Procedure). If they are approved as adopters, the requirements set out in Section 8, Approval of Matching of Adoptive Parents as to the approval of the matching and in Section 10, 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 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 will apply after the child has been placed with them for at least a year.
	Inter-Agency Placements
7.9	The Head of Adoption will ensure that consideration is given to all options for placement which will include referrals to the Regional Adoption Agencies and Voluntary Adoption Agencies.
7.10	Where recruitment of adopters from another agency has been authorised, the family finder will undertake the following: Check that either the parents (for an Accommodated child) and/or the child's social worker's manager have signed the Consent to Publicity Form and/or the Court's leave has been granted where Court proceedings are ongoing; Make the child’s Linkmaker profile available to external agencies as agreed with their team manager and undertake regular searches of prospective adopters to identify families that may be able to meet the needs of the child.
7.11	The family finder, in liaison with the child’s social worker will need to discuss profiling the child at National Exchange Days and give due consideration as to whether it would be appropriate for the child to attend an Activity Day. Should an Activity Day be agreed, the child’s social worker will need to undertake appropriate direct work to prepare the child and ensure that they are aware of their care plan and what the day will entail. Where funding for an event is required, the family finder must have this in agreement from the Head of Adoption prior to any referrals being made.
7.12	The family finder must respond to any expressions of interest made by prospective adopters or their adoption social workers on Linkmaker as soon as is possible and without delay, ensuring to have conversations with adoption social workers wherever is required. The family finder will continue to make attempts to family find with internal prospective adopters as outlined above, alongside inter-agency searches. Regular Permanency Planning Meetings will need to be convened by the Child in Care team to review the child’s permanency plan and discuss the family finding that has taken place to date.
7.13	Once an external potential link has been identified, the procedure outlined in paragraphs 7.3 to 7.6 above will then be followed and the child's social worker and family finder will visit potential families prior to a Matching Meeting being held. Prospective adopters must be made aware where more than one family is being considered. The Head of Adoption must be advised of the potential link and costs involved.
	Progressing the match
	Once a suitable match has been identified and agreed within a Matching Meeting, (whether with in-house approved adopters, inter-agency or a foster carer approved as an adopter), the family finder should prepare an Adoption Placement Report and a proposed Adoption Support Plan in consultation with the family's social worker and child's social worker. These reports should give 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 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 details for staying in touch arrangements. For further information, please see Adoption Support Procedure. The Adoption Placement Report must be written by a qualified social worker with suitable experience (see Adoption Panel Procedure) and must include the prospective adopter's views on the proposed placement, staying in touch arrangements (including meeting with the birth parents), adoption support and any proposed restrictions on their exercise of Parental Responsibility after the placement. The prospective adopters need to meet with the medical adviser to discuss the health history and needs of the child, including any possible future implications.
7.14	The child's social worker, family finder, the prospective adopters' social worker and their respective managers should sign both documents.
7.15	The family finder should also contact the Panel Administrator to arrange a date for the Adoption Panel to consider the proposed placement.
7.16	The child's social worker will keep the parents and child informed of progress (unless the parent has stated that they do not wish to be kept informed).
7.17	The family finder should provide a copy of the Adoption Placement Report to the prospective adopters ahead of the Adoption Panel to enable them to submit the required written comments on its contents.

8. 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 recommended by the Adoption Panel within 4 months of the agency being given the authority to place the child for adoption, (the making of a Placement Order)except in the following cases;
Where a parent requests adoption for a child of less than six months of age, the match is to be recommended by the Adoption Panel within 3 months of the agency's formal approval that the child should be placed for adoption.

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

	Presentation to the Adoption Panel
8.1	The family finder must present the following reports to the Adoption Panel: The Child's Permanence Report (with an update medical report no more than 6 months old for a child over a year, and 3 months for a child under a year); The Prospective Adopter's Report, updated as necessary, on the identified prospective adopters and a recent medical (in the last 2 years; The Adoption Placement Report; The proposed Adoption Support Plan, with any financial implications agreed by the relevant manager; The proposals regarding post-placement and post-adoption staying in touch arrangements; The views of the prospective adopters on the Prospective Adopter's Report and the proposed keeping in touch arrangements.
8.2	The family finder will send the relevant reports to the Panel Administrator at least 10 working days before the date of the Adoption Panel.
8.3	The Panel Administrator will arrange for the Panel minutes in relation to the recommendations that the child should be placed for adoption and, the Panel minutes in relation to the recommendations that the prospective adopters are suitable to be adopters, to be circulated to Panel members, with the reports.
8.4	The child's social worker, the prospective adopters, the family finder and the prospective adopters' social worker will attend the Adoption Panel during consideration of the matter.
8.5	The Adoption Panel's recommendation as to whether the child should be placed for adoption with the particular prospective adopters will be recorded in writing, together with reasons, in the Panel's minutes. The Panel must also consider and may give advice in relation to the proposed adoption support, the proposed arrangements for contact and any proposed restrictions on the exercise of Parental Responsibility by the prospective adopters and/or the birth parents. A copy of the relevant minute must be placed on the child's and the prospective adopters' Adoption Case Records.
8.6	The prospective adopters' social worker will convey the Panel's recommendation orally to the prospective adopters within 24 hours, in the unlikely event that they did not attend the Panel.
8.7	After the Panel has considered the reports and made a written recommendation, the minute and reports considered by the Panel will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker who will make a decision based on this information within 7 working days of the Panel meeting. If the Panel has given advice in relation to adoption support, proposed staying in touch arrangements t and/or the exercise of Parental Responsibility by the prospective adopters and/or the birth parents, the Agency Decision Maker may express a view on such advice. Where the Agency Decision Maker is minded to disagree with the Panel recommendation, they must first discuss the case with another senior officer with relevant experience, who must not be a Panel member. This discussion must be recorded and placed on the child's and the prospective adopter's Adoption Case Record.
8.8	The child's social worker will convey the decision orally to the parents within 2 working days.
8.9	The prospective adopters' social worker will convey the decision orally to the prospective adopters within 2 working days.
8.10	The Panel Administrator will prepare written notification of the decision to be signed by the Agency Decision Maker and once signed, sent to the child's social worker for sending by recorded or hand delivery to the parents within 5 working days.
8.11	The Panel Administrator will send the written notification, signed by the Agency Decision Maker, to the prospective adopters' social worker for sending to the adopters within 5 working days. Copies of this letter will also be sent to the family finder and the child's social worker.

9. Planning the Placement

9.1	Children will be introduced to their prospective adopters sensitively and with careful and considered planning that promotes attachment. Once the matching has been approved and the legal position allows it, the family finder will convene a Placement Planning Meeting (Introductions planning meeting) to draw up an Adoption Placement Plan, confirming the details of the introductions, placement and post-placement work. The Adoption Family Finding Social Worker will chair the meeting. Those attending Placement Planning Meetings will be the child's social worker, his/her manager as appropriate, the foster carers, the foster carers' supervising social worker, the family finder, representatives of the health trust (where appropriate), the prospective adopters and their adoption social worker, and any other worker engaged in direct work with the child.
9.2	For inter agency placements, a separate meeting will also be required, involving the Adoption Service Manager or his/her nominee, to complete CoramBAAF Form IA which details the contract between the agencies and the adoptive family in relation to the placement.
9.3	The purpose of the first Placement Planning Meeting is to draw up a proposed Adoption Placement Plan. The Adoption Placement Plan should include: Whether the placement is to be made under a Placement Order or with parental consent; The arrangements for preparing the child and the prospective adopter/s for the placement (see below); The proposed face-to-face or virtual mid-way review meeting details; Discussion regarding a birth parent meeting with the prospective adopters and confirmation that a referral to CAFIS for birth parent support has been discussed with them. Should consent have been received, a referral by the child’s social worker must be completed; 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 to what extent, the exercise of Parental Responsibility by the prospective adopters and/or the birth parents 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 monitoring and supervision of the placement (including contact details of key support staff during office hours and out of hours); The dates on which the life story book and any 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 Adoption Review; Any post-placement staying in touch arrangements between the child and members of their birth family and/or the child and the foster carers; and Clarification of who will make the necessary notifications of the placement (see Section 10, The Placement). It will also set out the steps required leading up to the child's placement with the prospective adopters, including the first meeting between the child and the prospective adoptive family, the programme of and detailed arrangements for their introductions (dates, times, venues, transport and accommodation), the reimbursement of any expenses of the introductions, any other financial assistance to enable the placement to occur and, where appropriate, a meeting between the parents and the prospective adopters. The family finder will be responsible for coordinating the Placement Planning Meeting. However, 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 Adoption Placement Plan can only be made with the agreement of the family finder or the Chair of the meeting and must be notified to the prospective adopters in writing. The child's social worker is expected to be in regular and frequent contact with the child and foster carer during the period of the introductions and all involved share information with each other on a regular basis, at the frequency identified at the Placement Planning Meetings. The introductions timetable will then be reviewed at an agreed date - see paragraph 9.8 below. The timetable will identify the named workers and when they will have contact with the child.
9.4	The Adoption Placement Plan will also address when the prospective adopters will be supplied with all relevant written information about the child and who will provide it (for a full list of information to be supplied - see Section 10, The Placement).
9.5	The plan of introductions will draw upon the University of East Anglia Model of moving to adoption and will focus upon the need to build relationships between the child’s secure base of the foster carer, and the prospective adopters prior to the child being introduced. This may take the form of informal meet-ups that do not need to include the child such as ‘in-person’ time together and video calls. The use of the WhatsApp Group will continue to be promoted to further build upon their relationship. As part of the preparation of the child for the adoptive placement, the child will be provided with introductory material from the prospective adopters which will be made specific to the child’s needs and in such a way to be able to maximise the ability for the child to engage with the material. This will include items such as photos introducing the adoptive family and their home, a transitional object, and may also include videos of the adoptive family. The person that shares this material will be agreed upon within the Placement Planning Meeting. Once the child has received the introductory material, they can begin to be involved directly within the introductions. Depending upon the age of the child and their individual needs, this may include aspects such as being able to observe and participate in video calls between the prospective adopters and their foster carer. This serves to help them to become familiar with their voices and to be able to see their secure base (foster carer) interacting in a positive and trusting relationship with their prospective adopters.
9.6	The child's first meeting with the prospective adopters should be within the child’s foster home (unless the child is older and requests otherwise). It will be agreed within the Placement Planning Meeting who else will be present with the child and foster carer, if any, to be able to introduce the prospective adopters. Initial visits may begin with ‘play and observe’ times in which the prospective adopters will be able to spend time playing with the child but will not undertake any caring or intimate tasks, instead observing the child and their routine, and becoming familiar faces for them. 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, and the gradual transfer of caring tasks from the foster carer to the prospective adopters. If it is felt to be in the best interests of the child, consideration can be given to an overnight stay, a weekend stay and in exceptional circumstances with an older child, a longer period prior to the final move. The child's social worker will advise the parents of the plan whilst maintaining the confidentiality of the placement (unless the parent has stated that they do not wish to be kept informed). Consideration will need to be given as to the appropriate time within the introduction timetable when the birth parent meeting with prospective adopters will be arranged, if this has been agreed. Planning will be required as to who will be in attendance and the venue where this will be held. Support will need to be provided to the birth family by the child’s social worker and/or CAFIS if they are involved, and to prospective adopters by the adoption social worker to prepare for the meeting.
9.7	The introduction timetable will have ‘check-ins’ and a Mid-Way Review included within the plan to ensure that the network around the child are able to adapt the plan where needed. There will be an expectation that the child’s social worker will visit the child during the introductions to be able to capture their voice within the discussions. There will also be an expectation that opportunities to reflect will be factored into the timetable in which the fostering social worker will visit the foster family, and the adoption social worker will visit the adoptive family. This will enable a reflective space to explore the positives and any challenges and feedback to the family finder who will be co-ordinating the introductions. This will enable the plan to be adapted where needed and ensure that it remains in the best interest of the child.
9.8	At the mid-point of the introductions, a Mid-Way Review Meeting will be held, at which the following areas will be addressed: The progress of the introductions - has the necessary action identified at the previous meeting been taken, and the plan been followed? - If not, why not? The views of each participant as to the above; The identification of the positives; The identification of any difficulties; The development of the next stage of the plan; The finalisation of the arrangements for the placement. The Mid-Way Review may be held in person or virtually, and must be accessible to all parties that will be in attendance.
9.9	A further meeting can be called by any of the parties if issues of concern arise.
9.10	Where the child is to be adopted by their foster carers, whilst there will be no need for a plan for introductions, the family finder should still convene a Placement Planning Meeting, in order to draw up the Adoption Placement Plan to cover the areas other than introductions as set out above and to specify the date when the placement is to be regarded as an adoptive placement.
9.11	Where staying in touch arrangements are part of the adoption plan, the proposals must be drawn up in written agreements to be signed by the child’s social worker and the prospective adoptive parents. The agreements must specify the form and timing of the staying in touch arrangements for putting this in place. The agreements 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 sign and retain copies of the agreement. See also Section 6, Post-placement Contact.
9.12	If the Adoption Placement Plan is varied or terminated, the child must be informed in a timely and age appropriate way.
9.13	Where the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, the parents must be informed (unless the parent has stated that they do not wish to be kept informed).
9.14	If the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, the Adoption Service Manager should consider the best way to conduct a disruption meeting - see Disruption of Adoptive Placements Procedure.
9.15	Where children are not settling into their adoptive placements, leaders and managers will take steps to ensure that the plan is reviewed with adopters to consider the best steps to take next. In the event of the placement's termination, direct work will be undertaken with the child to make sense of the reasons why the placement broke down and to prepare the child for any future placement.
9.16	In this event, the child's social worker and family finder must re-start the process of identifying a suitable prospective adoptive family or amend the plan for the child (depending on the outcome of the Disruption Meeting).

10. The Placement

10.1	Once the matching of the child has been approved, the adoption agency has authority to place the child (either through a Placement Order or Parental Consent), the plan of introductions has been successfully completed and the Adoption Placement Plan has been completed and signed by all parties, the placement can go ahead. A social worker must be present when the placement takes place.
10.2	Prior to the placement, the child's social worker must ensure that all the following information/items have been provided to the prospective adopters: Authority to consent to medical and dental treatment; The parent-held Child Health Record; Any letters, photographs or mementos from the birth family, including a 'Later in Life' letter from the birth parent if possible, and the Life Story Book Story Book (if completed); The child's birth certificate; The child's passport (if applicable); A copy of the Care Order (if applicable), Placement Order (if applicable) and any other Court Orders that exist; A copy of the Parental Consent to the Placement and Advance Consent to Adoption (if applicable); A written plan of the staying in touch arrangements pre and post adoption with the birth parents, wider family and any previous carers; The Adoption Support Plan; Arrangements for support and visits by the child's social worker and their own social worker; Any other relevant information, including specialist reports (subject to the author's consent). The prospective adopters should be asked to sign confirmation of receipt. Where the information/items are provided at different times, the prospective adopters must sign and date confirmation of receipt on each occasion.
10.3	Prior to the placement, notification must be sent by the worker identified in the Adoption Placement Plan to the present and new GP, the local authority (where the adoptive family live outside the borough), 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.
10.4	Where the child's foster carers are the prospective adopters, the adoption service must confirm in writing to them the date from which the placement becomes an adoptive placement.
10.5	The child's social worker must inform the parents of the date of the placement, 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 (see Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness).
10.6	The child's social worker should ensure the date of the placement is recorded, so that the records identifies that the child is placed for adoption but does not show the placement address.
10.7	The family finder will inform the Panel Administrator of the date of the placement as soon as it is made and inform the relevant finance officer where the Adoption Support Plan includes financial support so that payments can start.

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

11.1	The child will be the subject of regular Adoption Reviews, chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer - see Adoption Reviews Procedure. If no match has been identified within the agreed timescales, the Independent Reviewing Officer should recommend a Permanency Planning Meeting is convened to reconsider the plan.
11.2	In all cases, where a child has been approved for adoption but not placed within 6 months, the child's social worker must arrange a Permanency Planning Meeting 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 Team or Service Manager will chair the meeting, depending on the complexity of the situation.
11.3	If it is agreed that the plan should be changed, a review or virtual review will be organised by the child's social worker. The timescales for the review, including stakeholders to be invited, will be agreed at the permanency planning meeting. There must be minimal delay in holding the review. The Independent Reviewing Officer must record the date the plan was changed, the reason for the change of plan, and the status of the new plan, within one working day of the review/virtual review.
11.4	The change of plan should be presented by the child's social worker to the Agency Decision Maker via the Adoption Panel team, on the next available date, for formal agreement, with the Child in Care review minutes, Permanency Planning meeting minutes and any relevant assessments/reports. The date the Agency Decision Maker agreed the change of plan should be entered by the child's social worker on the case file.
11.5	The outcome of any reviews by the Agency Decision Maker should be notified to the child (if old enough), the birth parents (in appropriate cases) and any other relevant person. The Placement Order must be revoked if there is no longer an Agency Decision for adoption; The following documents should be sent, by the child's social worker, to the Legal Team, with instructions to check all the paperwork, file the application, and deal with the court appearances. Legal will advise on whether the papers should be filed with the same court that granted the Care/Placement Orders: Form A52 - found on the Ministry of Justice website or Form A52; Chronology of significant events since the Placement/Care Order was made; Social Worker statement; Care Plan; Copy of Final Care/Placement Order, and, if available, the final hearing judgement/'facts and reasons'; Send the Child in Care Review minutes that record the change of plan from adoption, and review minutes since the making of the placement order to Legal so that a decision can be made about whether to file them within the proceedings; Minutes of Permanency Planning meeting. The child's case is to be presented to the Agency Decision Maker to endorse the change of plan for the child before the application for revocation is issued, although not a legal requirement; There needs to be an up to date assessment of the child's needs and the parent's capacity to meet those needs. Contact between the child(ren) and family members will need to be reconsidered in light of the change of plan from adoption to an alternative plan. It is possible that when the parents or wider family become aware that adoption is no longer the plan for the child this will prompt them to make an application for contact or to apply to discharge the care order; Consideration may need to be given as to whether an order under Section 34(4) of the Children Act 1989 is required; or discharge of the care order; A legal planning meeting should be considered to discuss any issues around the revocation application; When the court issues the application it has to be served on all parties to the care proceedings and any person in whose favour there is provision for contact. The child's social worker should liaise with legal about this. Changing the Child's Name on or After Placement with Prospective Adopters On the making of an Adoption Order, the adopter(s) obtain parental responsibility for the child and the parental responsibility of all other persons is extinguished (Section 46(1), (2) Adoption and Children Act (ACA) 2002). From this point on the adopter(s) are in the position of the child's birth parents in so far as naming the child i.e. where they act jointly they have the absolute right to name and rename their child – this applies to first names and surnames. However, the changing of first names is discouraged due to the significance of the process of choosing a name for a child and the link this provides to birth family heritage. However, the position is different before an adoption order is made. Although prospective adopters obtain parental responsibility for a child who is placed with them with parental consent under Section 19 ACA 2002 or under a placement order (Section 25(2), (3) ACA 2002), there are limits to their ability to exercise that parental responsibility in some areas, including in relation to changing the child's name. Where a placement order is in place, no person may cause a child to be known by a new surname without the written consent of each parent or guardian of the child or the permission of the court (Section 28(2), (3) ACA 2002). In a case where a child is being placed under s 19 ACA 2002, if it felt to be in the child's best interests for their surname to be changed prior to the making of an adoption order, the consent of the parent(s) (with parental responsibility) and any guardian should be sought. If consent is not forthcoming, the local authority must consider making an application for permission to change the child's surname under Section 28(2) ACA 2002. The local authority will need to provide clear evidence as to why it is considered on the facts of the particular case to be in the child's best interests to be known by a new surname prior to the making of an adoption order. Any view expressed by the child will be of particular significance. In a case where the local authority is applying for a placement order, if it is felt to be in the child's best interest for their surname to be changed prior to the making of an adoption order, the local authority can make an application under Section 28(2) ACA 2002 at the same time as applying for a placement order. If permission is not sought at that stage and the local authority subsequently reaches a conclusion that it is in the child's best interests to be known by a new surname, a free-standing application under Section 28(2) ACA 2002 would need to be sought (assuming that the parent(s) and any guardian do not consent to the change of surname). An application to allow a child to be known by a new surname is not an application which should be routinely made; however, there are cases where as a result of the particular circumstances of a child or the prospective adopters, it is considered to be in the best interests of the child to be known by a new surname prior to the making of an Adoption Order. Such an order will usually only be made if there is a perceived risk to the security of the adoptive placement and/or the child in the event that the surname is not changed as the birth parents, or others, are likely to make attempts to (and may be able to) locate the child. The child's social worker, having consulted with the family finding team, should take advice from the solicitor dealing with the care/placement proceedings in this regard. In relation to a child's first name(s), there is no statutory prohibition preventing a child being known by a different first name. Case law recognises that while surnames are of particular significance insofar as they denote the family to which the child belongs, given names "have a much less concrete character than surnames" and that it is commonplace for a child to receive different given names during their childhood. "During the course of family life, as a child develops personality and individuality, parents or other members of the family, maybe attracted to some nickname or some alternative given name which will then adhere, possibly for the rest of the child's life, or possibly only until the child's individuality and maturity allow it to make a choice for itself as to the name by which they wish to be known" (per Thorpe LJ in Re H (child's name: first name) [2002] EWCA Civ 190). However, it would not be appropriate in the majority of cases for prospective adopters to use a different first name for a child who has been placed with them prior to an adoption order being made. Notwithstanding the observations of Thorpe LJ in Re H, a child's first name is an important part of their identity and the decision to change it is a significant one especially where the change is made to mark the leaving of one family and the joining of another. Social workers should discuss with prospective adopters their reasons for wishing to change a child's first name prior to an adoption order being made if they express a wish to do so. The appropriateness of such a decision in any individual case will depend on the age and understanding and wishes of the child in question and on what is deemed to be the best interest of the child. Consideration needs to be given to a child's understanding and recognition of their name, even a very young child.

Placement for Adoption

1. Planning for Permanence

2. Obtaining Agency Approval to the Adoption Plan

Presentation to the Adoption Panel for an adoption plan decision in respect of Adoption by Consent

Referral directly to Agency Decision Maker for an adoption plan decision

After the Decision

3. Preparation of Child for Adoption

4. Counselling, Support and Information Sharing for Parents

4.1 Counselling and Support for Parents

4.2 Procedural Fairness

5. Child's Adoption Medical

6. Post-placement Staying in Touch Arrangements

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

Family Finding Process

Inter-Agency Placements

Progressing the match

8. Approval of Matching of Adoptive Parents

Presentation to the Adoption Panel

9. Planning the Placement

10. The Placement

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

Changing the Child's Name on or After Placement with Prospective Adopters