Permanence Planning

1. Purpose

All children and young people need a loving family in which to live. The ethos of Bracknell Forest Children's Social Care to give consideration to all permanency options at all stages of our work with families. Regardless of the type of family setup, Bracknell Forest Children's Social Care endeavours to discuss the needs of each child and young person from the outset of its involvement. Permanency Planning for the child's entire journey through to adulthood is embedded in practice, discussed with families and recorded within reports and procedures. This document provides policy and associated procedural guidance to staff involved in planning for children and young people who may be unable, to live with their parents either in the short on long-term.

Flowchart illustrating interrelationship between various policies relating to permanency

2. Definition and Scope

This policy and associated procedure seek to provide guidance to staff involved in permanency planning for children looked after. It can apply to children who are not looked after where there may be plans for them to become looked after in the future, for example children who are subject to care proceedings and remain at home with their parents. All children and young people despite their status should have a permanence plan. It should be noted that permanency should be reviewed as it's appropriateness may very at different ages and stages of children lives particularly as they approach transition.

2.1 Types of Permanency

All children have a need for security, continuity, commitment and identity. Defining permanence with reference to this, rather than by placement type, allows for 'permanence plans' to be made for children and young people in a variety of different ways which recognise their individual needs, wishes and circumstances.

Many children who come into care return home to live with their parents. However, for those who cannot, there are a number of different permanence options. There is no hierarchy of permanence options; what matters is the welfare and wellbeing of each child and finding the right home and family for them. The priority should always be for children live in a family environment where it is safe to do so as this is the most effective way for their life chances to be improvement

2.1.1 Adoption

Adoption is probably the most well-known form of permanence. When a child is adopted, their new parents take on full parental responsibility for their care as their legal guardian.

The vast majority of children adopted in the UK are aged between 1 and 4 years-old. However, in Bracknell Forest we have had a number of successes with older children being adopted. Therefore, age should not be a barrier to adoption. Adoption is considered to be the best option for around 5 per cent of children in care.

2.1.2 Fostering for adoption

This is a scheme in England to allow children to be placed with their potential adopters in a fostering arrangement, while the local authority seeks a placement order from the courts. In these arrangements, the foster carers will also need to be approved as adopters.

2.1.3 Long-term fostering

Foster carers can provide permanence to children through long term fostering, often until adulthood. However, long-term fostering is different from adoption and other forms of permanence because Bracknell Forest remains the child's 'corporate parent'. Foster carers never have parental responsibility for a child that they care for, unlike adopters.

Long-term fostering has a formal status as a permanence option for children looked after. The child's local authority retains parental responsibility, but foster carers have greater authority to make decisions on behalf of the child and, if all parties are in agreement, meet less frequently with social workers. These changes were made in 2015 with the aim to provide better stability and a better sense of 'normal' family life for a child looked after. Foster carers are provided with greater powers through delegated authority to make day to day decisions for children.

2.1.4 Kinship foster care (Connected person's care)

While a child looked after may not be able to live with their birth parents, it may be possible for them to live with a grandparent, uncle, aunt or other relative or a friend of the family well known to the child who has been assessed to be able to meet their needs as a foster carer.

While connected persons foster care is often a short-term solution in an emergency, if all parties agree it can be for the duration of a child's childhood. Across the UK, there are also kinship or family and friends carers who care for children outside of the looked after system, and who are not approved foster carers.

2.1.5 Special Guardianship Orders

For children who are being cared for by a Connected Person as a child looked after there is usually a preference for legal permanency to be sought through a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). These are usually granted by courts to a member of the child's family or in some cases to an unrelated foster carer who has been caring for the child. The special guardian has the care of the child and acquires parental responsibility together with birth parents and anyone else who has parental responsibility. Children under SGOs are not looked after and the support is through the SGO Support Plan.

2.1.6 Child Arrangement Orders

In respect of permanence options, a child arrangements order decides where a child lives and will give the person parental responsibility for as long as the order continues. These are usually made to a parent.

2.1.7 Residential care

This is the only form of permanence where a child will not live in a family environment. It is our aspiration that all children looked after live in a family environment where possible. For a small number of children there may be a need for them to have a short period in residential care for support before they return to a family environment. There will be a number of children looked after who are open to CSST where their permanency plan may be to remain in residential care until the age of 18.

3. Aim of this Policy

The primary aim is to ensure that all children and young people are provided with care arrangements that deliver continuity, consistency and security of care and support which positively promote their individual sense of security, self-esteem, identity and other positive outcomes throughout and beyond the period of their childhood.

4. References

The Children Act 1989 and Human Rights Act 1998

The Adoption and Children Act 2002, 2012, 2014 Amendments

Children Act 2004

Care Matters, Time for Change 2007

Children and Young Person's Act 2008

Public Law Outline 2008

Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations

Working Together to Safeguard Children

5. Principles

5.1 Definition

This policy defines permanence as:

'A framework of emotional, physical and legal conditions that gives a child a sense of commitment, security and continuity of care throughout their childhood and into adult life.'

Every child should have the opportunity to live in a home that offers them a form of permanence. This is regardless of their age, status and family circumstances. Children's Social Care works with a range of families who all have different circumstances. However, what is intrinsically the same is a child's need to know they, 'belong' and where they will 'grow-up'.

Therefore, permanence underpins the work with all families from the initial point of contact through to ongoing work for children. For those children who are not looked after this should form part of the discussion in other forums e.g. Child in Need, Child Protection Planning, Public Law Outline meetings and Private Law applications.

Where children are looked after (CLA), the care plan [1] is an overarching document that brings together information about the child's assessed needs. It must also include a plan for permanence, set out how care plan meets the child/young person's assessed needs and specify the arrangements for review [2]. The care plan must also specify how the child's health and educational needs will be met and monitored.

[1] For details of care planning guidance, procedure and requirements, please see Bracknell Forest Policy and Procedure for Care Planning and Placement
[2] This is in addition to the statutory review requirements.

5.2 Reunification with Birth Parents

The potential for future reunification with the birth family should be assessed and reviewed regularly and appropriate planning for reunification included in the care plan. This should take account of the child's age and stage. For example a permanency plan at the age of 8 may be different when they are 15 and approaching independence.

5.3 Contact

There is a specific requirement for the care plan to set out arrangements for the child to maintain contact with siblings who are also known to / looked after by the responsible authority but with whom it is not possible for the child to be placed.

5.4 Timeliness

Care planning processes should work to children's timescales. Every reasonable effort should be made to avoid drift and delay in care planning and to minimise the amount of time that children and young people are exposed to uncertainty about arrangements for their longer-term care.

5.5 Promoting Links with Birth Family

There are unique advantages for children in experiencing family life in their own birth family and every effort should be made to preserve the child's home and family links.

5.6 Family Life

Although some basic needs are universal, there can be a variety of ways of meeting them. In most instances, children and young people's needs will be best met by placement in a family setting

5.7 Voice of the Child

Young people's wishes must be elicited and taken seriously. These should be recorded.

5.8 Identity

A child's age, sex, health, personality, race, religion, culture and life experiences are all relevant to any consideration of needs and vulnerability and must be taken into account when planning or providing help.

5.9 Connected Persons

If young people cannot remain at home, a placement with relatives, friends and other connected people should be explored before other forms of placement are considered.

5.10 Family Group Conference

If young people must live apart from their birth family, a Family Group Conference should be convened to assist the young person, their parents, the wider extended family and any other relevant individuals to consider alternative placement options, including family and friends care.

5.11 Siblings

Where possible siblings should not be separated when in care or when being looked after under voluntary arrangements, unless this is part of a carefully considered plan based on the child's needs.

5.12 Attachment

Secure attachments to carers are essential to children's mental health and psychological development. Continuity of relationships is important, and attachments should be respected, sustained and developed.

Corporate parenting is not 'good enough' on its own. Every child and young person needs at least one individual to whom he/she is 'special', who retains responsibility over time, who is involved in plans and decisions and who has ambitions for the child's achievement and full development.

5.13 Stability

Change of home, caregiver, school, or social worker almost always carries some risk to the child's development and welfare. Any changes should be seriously considered and avoided where possible.

5.14 Discharge from Care

Children and young people should not remain in local authority accommodation any longer than is necessary for the promotion of their welfare. If a child/young person is looked after, arrangements should be made to effect his/her discharge from public care at the earliest opportunity, so long as this is consistent with her/his welfare.

6. Policy

The department will make every reasonable effort to enable children to live with their parents, their wider family, or with other members of their network, providing this is consistent with the child's welfare.

Where it is not in the best interests of children to live within their birth family, the department will develop and implement permanency plans, at the earliest appropriate opportunity. This permanency planning process should

• Seek to minimise the length of time that children remain in temporary placements;
• Work to reduce the length of time that children are otherwise exposed to prolonged periods of uncertainty as to their future;
• Aim to ensure that they are provided with continuity and stability of care into adulthood;
• Promote the positive development of the child's self esteem and identity;
• Aim to provide the child with an appropriate level of legal securit;
• Facilitate their early discharge from public care, so long as this is consistent with promoting their welfare;
• Seek to place children in local placements or within 20 miles of Bracknell according to the needs of the child and the nature of the permanency plan.

In the process of formulating permanency plans, the department will have regard to:

• The importance and significance of any existing attachments and relationships, including sibling relationships;
• The child's or young person's wishes and feelings;
• The views of the parents and significant others;
• The child's age, individual needs and wider circumstances - including needs relating to their religious persuasion, racial origin, gender, cultural and linguistic background and any special needs;
• The child's right to family life;
• The need to avoid unnecessary delay;
• Which legal framework will be most consistent with promoting the child's long term future welfare;
• Any other factors which may be relevant in the particular circumstances.

7. Permanence Planning Policy

7.1 Convening a Permanency Planning Meeting

Where children are involved with Children's Social Care, regardless of status it is good practice to discuss formally the permanence plans for the child. This can form part of initial planning for children where the child is looked after, or at other suitable meetings (CiN or CP).

The child's social worker should convene a permanency planning meeting for:

• Children living away from their parents;
• Children looked after;
• Children for whom the contingency plan is for them to become looked after (including children subject to interim orders such as Interim Care Orders at home or Interim Supervision Orders).

For children looked after an initial permanency planning meeting, should take place prior to the second CLA review if it appears that a child looked after may not return to parental care.

For children who are not looked after an initial permanency planning meeting should take place following the CiN or CP review where becoming looked after has been identified as the contingency.

7.2 Family Group Conferencing

Consideration should be given to whether a Family Group Conference (FGC's) should be held in advance of any permanency planning to further inform the planning process. FGCs are recommended practice all cases where a child cannot return to parental care. A Family Group Conference may also be helpful to identify additional supports when plans are made for a child to return to parental care.

7.3 Permanency Planning Meetings

7.3.1 Timing

An Initial permanency planning meeting should be held as soon as possible after either the 1st statutory review or the decision that CLA is the contingency plan, sooner in the event of an earlier decision e.g. baby relinquished at birth for adoption

7.3.2 Purpose

The purpose of the initial permanency planning meeting is to agree the overarching permanency plan. This proposed permanence plan will form part of the care planning for the child to avoid delay.

7.3.3 Attendance Head of Service (Chair) Child's Social Worker

Head of Service (Chair)
Child's Social Worker
ATM for Child's Social Worker
ATM in Family Placement
Independent Reviewing Officer
Any other relevant professional who can input into the permanency plan.

7.4 Review

For children looked after a review of the overarching permanency plan will be held when all assessments have been completed and the final care plan for court needs to be agreed. This will take place either when the child has been looked after for 14 weeks or, when the assessments are received by the Local Authority, if sooner. However, if the assessments have not all been received the meeting will be held as soon as they are received. This may be later than four weeks in some instances. This meeting will be chaired by the Head of Service for the relevant team.

For children who are not looked after the overarching permanency plan will be reviewed as part of the next CiN or CP review.

7.4.1 Purpose of Review

• To agree the detailed arrangements that will underpin the overarching plan e.g. contact arrangements, legal orders, type of placement required, geographic location, including any requirement to seek legal advice, etc;
• To check that the specific actions that need to be taken to progress the permanency plan, e.g. family finding, medicals, presentation to panel, court etc. have all been completed or will be completed in time for final evidence to be filed;
• To agree who has responsibility for taking specific actions;
• To agree timescales;
• To consider what action should be taken if some aspect of the permanency plan can not be achieved within reasonable timescales.

7.4.2 Constitution

The following individuals should be invited to attend:

• Head of Service (Chair) Child's Social Worker;
• ATM for Child's Social Worker ATM in Family Placement Independent Reviewing Officer Guardian (if appropriate);
• Foster carers supervising social worker (if appropriate);
• Any other relevant professional who can input into the permanency plan.

7.5 Agenda and Minutes for Permanency Planning Meetings

7.5.1 Contextual Matters for discussion

• Background history;
• Legal context;
• Outcome of the single assessments if completed;
• The overarching plan as agreed by the last statutory review;
• Developments since the initial statutory review;
• Progress regarding family group conferencing;
• The child's needs;
• Child/young person's wishes and feelings;
• Parent's wishes and feelings;
• Wishes and feelings of significant others;
• Views of the Child's Guardian- if relevant;
• Observations of the current carers;
• Views of the child's social worker and their supervisor;
• Views of other agencies e.g. IFA's or residential providers.

7.5.2 General Decisions for discussion and agreement

• What further assessments, if any, are required?
• What additional work is needed to prepare the child/young person and promote their understanding? Who will undertake this work?
• What additional work is needed to prepare/support the parents and promote their understanding? Who will undertake this work?
• What additional work is needed to prepare the individuals within the extended family or wider network and otherwise promote their understanding?
• What therapeutic input is needed - in the short/long term? How will this be provided?
• What other work is required to promote the child's self esteem and identity? Who will undertake this?
• What immediate legal orders/outcome, if any, would best promote the child's long-term welfare? Is any further legal advice required

7.5.3 Where the overarching plan is re-unification to parental care

• Is any further legal advice required?
• What legal orders/outcome needs to be agreed prior to re-unification?
• Formal agreement by the Head of Service is required for all reunification plans;
• Formal agreement by the Executive Director (People) is required for reunification plans for 16 and 17 year olds;
• What additional support, interventions or services, will be needed prior to and following re-unification? How will this be provided? Does additional funding need to be agreed? Who will deal with this?
• Does a Child Protection Case Conference need to be convened prior to re- unification? (this would only be in exceptional circumstances);
• Do any other professionals, agencies or authorities need to be informed of plans? Who will deal with this?

7.5.4 Where the overarching plan is not re-unification to parental care or there are contingency plans the following need to be considered.

• What type of placement will best meet the child's long term needs - including where possible/appropriate the child's early discharge from public care, e.g. Special Guardianship, Child Arrangements Orders or Adoption?
• Does the matter need to be referred to the Agency Decision Maker or Fostering Panel for 'a best interest's decision'? Who will deal with this?
• Has all medical information been gathered and medical assessments completed?
• What further action, if any, is needed to identify/assess possible family and friends carers? Who will deal with this?
• Do the current short-term foster carers wish to be considered as long-term carers? How will this be explored and/or taken forward?
• What specific action will be taken to identify/find possible permanent/long term carers?
• What criteria will be used to match the child with possible carers or a particular residential placement? Who will progress this and when by?
• What contact arrangements will best promote the child's welfare in the short/medium term and the long term? Also consider, whether contact should be promoted to an individual(s) in the child's network, who could have a continuing positive role as the young person reaches adulthood;
• What legal action is required to facilitate the attainment of longer-term placement and contact plans?
• Step-down placements for children in residential care who may now be ready for foster care.

7.5.5 Concluding discussions

• Overall timescales and court / panel deadlines;
• Where there is a change to the plan for adoption the Assistant Director as the ADM need to be consulted and agree via an episode on Mosaic. Consideration should also be given particularly with reference to financial implications;
• The person responsible is to inform children/ young people / parents/ current carers / others of the outcome of this meeting? When? How?
• What criteria will be used to evaluate the success of the plan?
• What is the likelihood of the plans arising from the above discussions being realised within appropriate time scales?
• What is the contingency plan if some aspect of the plan cannot be achieved?
• Set date for review of progress and permanency plan;
• For CLA the proposed overarching permanency plan to be submitted to the 2nd CLA review and ratified by the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO);
• Refer to Family Placement Team or Adopt Thames Valley as applicable for Family Finding;
• Referral to Family Placement Team via Mosaic for assessment of connected persons for Special Guardianship.

7.5.6 Minutes

A detailed record should be kept of discussions and outcomes of the meeting and recorded as per the episode on Mosaic. Part one of the mosaic should be completed 24 hours in advance of the Permanency Planning Meeting. The Chair of the meeting will complete part 2 during the meeting.

7.6 Practice Guidance for Planning

7.7 Parallel Planning

See also: Appendix C: Permanency process for CLA within care proceedings for children where the plan is adoption.

In some instances, where there is a need for further assessments, or where the outcome of a court process is awaited, the Permanency Planning meeting should consider developing 'parallel plans'. For example, progressing work, to identify possible long-term permanent carers whilst working to promote a child's return to parental care, or seeking to 'step-down' a young person from residential care.

Particular care should always be taken in explaining the planning process to parents and further emphasis should be placed on the department's wish to achieve (where applicable) re-unification whenever this is consistent with promoting the child's welfare.

In situations where the plans involve re-unification to parental care but the outcome is uncertain, contingency plans should be developed to deal with the situation if re-unification is found to be unviable.

7.8 Endorsement of the Plan

For CLA this 'overarching plan' [3] for permanence; will be presented to the IRO at the 2nd statutory review for endorsement.

The overarching plan should consider all appropriate options for permanence through:

• The child's future re-unification with parents;
• The child's placement with family and friends carers (connected persons fostering);
• Special Guardianship Orders;
• Child Arrangement Orders;
• The child's placement with other permanent/long term carers;
• Adoption (Adopt Thames Valley);
• The child's placement in residential care.

[3] Placement with Adopters, Long Term Foster Care, Residential Care, Connected Persons Care or Re-unification

7.9 Family Finding

For CLA when there is no immediate prospect of reunification to the parent's care the process of family finding will start immediately after the Permanency Planning meeting, by referral to the Family Placement Team for fostering or Adopt Thames Valley for adoption. It is good practice for this referral to be initiated immediately even if the plan for permanence subsequently changes or is not endorsed at the 2nd statutory review. This is because it is important to minimise delay in establishing the child's permanent care. This does not minimise the requirement to work towards reunification of the child to parents or family care wherever possible

If there are early indications that a child's needs may be best met through Fostering for Adoption the social worker should alert the Family Placement Team at the earliest opportunity.

7.9.1 Family Placement Team

On receipt of an electronic referral –Connected Persons Referral and Family Finding Referral – Fostering, the Family Placement Team manager should either:

Connected Person's Referral

Where a connected person's (family, or friends) of a child identify themselves (or put forward by parents) as possible permanent carers, a joint viability should be completed by their social worker and a Family Placement worker. This will enable exploration of the possibility of initial discussions about future care and assess the strength of the current relationships between them. It is also essential to have a clear joint recommendation as to whether a full assessment should be completed by Family Placement Team. This should always be in full discussion as part of the Care Planning / Care Proceedings (if applicable) process and be in the child's best interests.

• Where a connected person is identified, an allocated Family Placement social worker will assess possible connected persons carers, or potentially interested parties who have an established relationship to the child or young person to seek permanence in the form of Special Guardianship / Child Arrangements Orders;
• Hold an initial meeting to establish child's needs, timescales, establish required reports / who completes which sections and discuss any financial implication's, overseen by a manger;
• Where children are CLA and connected people are being assessed separately it is important to establish that all possible avenues are explored and that contact arrangements are clearly outlined;
• Meet regularly with the child's social worker to ensure timescales are met and support plans (where applicable) are completed alongside the court reports.

Family Finding Referral

• Where a child is CLA, a Family Placement social worker will be allocated for the task of 'family finding'. This is where the task is seeking long-term fostering. This could involve seeking permanent/long term alternative foster carers, existing foster carers who may come forward, or the identification of a suitable residential placement for the young person). See Appendix C: Permanency process for CLA within care proceedings for children where the plan is adoption for family finding tasks in relation to Permanence. The Family Finder will coordinate a 'needs' meeting. This will involve both the child's social worker and family finder. The purpose of the meeting is to identity the needs of the child and to draw up a list of criteria for future carers to meet these specific assessed needs;
• Arrange for if possible, the family finder to attend the 2nd statutory review meeting;
• The family finder should work closely with the child's social worker to create a profile of the child and will meet monthly to track progress, overseen by a manager.

Tasks established and all relevant reports are completed for presentation to ADM for 'Best Interest' decision and 'Match' at panel.

• Any prospective families will be shortlisted by the family finder and child's social worker and where applicable joint home visits completed;
• The proposed family will be considered prior to panel at a matching meeting chaired by a family placement/Adopt Thames Valley Manager;
• If attempts to secure permanency locally are unsuccessful the Head of Service needs to agree this in advance of any national publicity or seeking carers via and Independent Fostering Agency (IFA);
• A review Permanency planning meeting needs to be held if permanency is not secured within 14 weeks.

For further guidance on family finding and matching see Appendix C: Permanency process for CLA within care proceedings for children where the plan is adoption and also the relevant section of departmental fostering procedures.

7.10 Completion of the Child Permanence Report

The Child Permanence Report (details about the child) should be completed by the child's social worker. Best practice is that this should be completed within two months of the CLA Review when adoption or long term fostering has been identified as the best option. It should include information from the parent(s) relevant medical and other details. This is a crucially important document that must reflect the child's life, describe the child's needs in detail and give reasons why parents could not continue to care for the child. It may well be seen by the child in later life and must be written and prepared with this in mind. The complete document should be shared with parents and countersigned by them to this effect.

This report can be used for both Adoption and Long Term fostering.

7.11 Best Interest Decisions

Recommendations that adoption or permanent long-term fostering is in a child's 'best interest' shall be ratified and endorsed as early as possible. These decisions can only be made by the Agency Decision Maker.

Decisions about children looked after who are fostered with connected persons carers will be made at the fostering panel as the same time as the panel considers the approval of the family and friends carer as a foster carer.

7.12 Fostering for Adoption

If the chances of the child ultimately being placed for adoption are high the merits of Fostering for Adoption should be considered. Whilst assessments are finalised and an adoption plan agreed, Fostering for Adoption can be pursued with the child placed with his/her future adopter's on a fostering basis until the Placement Order is granted (see Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters Procedure).

7.13 Timing of placement with adopters

Children cannot be placed with adopters under Adoption Regulations until the match has been considered by the Adoption Panel and formally agreed by the senior manager who acts as the Agency Decision Maker for Adoption matters.

7.14 Formalisation of placement with permanent or long-term foster carers

Younger children (under 14 years) should not normally be placed with permanent or long-term foster carers until the 'match' has been considered by the Fostering Panel and agreed by the senior manager who acts as the Agency Decision Maker for Fostering.

However, in some exceptional circumstances [4], it may be appropriate to place some older children, needing long term 'permanent placements' with foster carers who have dual approval as short and long term carers for a 'trial period' prior to formalising the arrangement by presenting the match to panel etc. When making such arrangements additional care should be taken to avoid unnecessary delay and prolonged uncertainty for the child. This should be explored as part of the family finding process.

[4] For example, where there are complex needs, significant risk of placement breakdown or placement will reduce the need for multiple moves.

7.15 Life Journey Work and Later Life Letters

For all children regardless of their journey, every consideration should be given at the planning stage to Life Journey work. All children need to have a 'sense' of what has brought them to their new family. A Life Journey Book / work can be critical in enabling them to fully understand their journey. This should not be exclusively for children with plans for adoption but should be in place for all children looked after. Life Journey Work and books should commence as soon as a child becomes looked after.

7.16 Placement to independence

While consideration of a young person's age may have a bearing on placement type it does not diminish the need for longer term planning, nor consideration of what configuration of arrangements will:

• Provide consistency of care;
• Best promote the young person's long-term welfare;
• Provide them with support beyond childhood and into adult life;
• Promote the young person's sense of self esteem and identity;
• Facilitate their early discharge from public care - where this is consistent with promoting their welfare.

While some older children may appropriately be placed with carers 'until independence' when such placements are made, careful considerations should still be given to what additional services need to be provided or actions taken to ensure that the young person has a sense of security and continuity of care during and beyond the period of being looked after.

For example, arranging for an individual from the young person's wider family and friends network to have contact in the short term, with a view to them being available to support/befriend the young person after their discharge from care and into adult life. (See Leaving Care and Transition Procedure for further details)

7.17 Staying Put

For some young people who wish to remain with their current foster carers post 18 'Staying Put' is an option. The arrangement can continue if all parties agree, until the young person reaches 21 years of age. See Staying Put Procedure. Any Staying Put arrangement needs to be carefully planned and agreed by the Assistant Director.

8. The Role of Adoption and Fostering Panels

For children who are looked after the role of Adoption and Fostering Panels play a significant part in the scrutiny and matching of children in permanent homes.

8.1 Adoption Panel Process

The following plans and recommendations should be referred:

• Cases that are not in proceedings must be presented to Adoption Panel e.g. relinquished children whose parents are requesting adoption;
• Recommendations about a child's matching and placement with approved adopters.

8.1.1 From September 1st 2012

• For children in proceedings, plans for adoption are presented instead to the Thames Valley Adoption (TVA) manager, Legal Advisor and passed to the Agency Decision Maker (ADM) for endorsement.

8.2 Fostering Panel

The following plans and recommendations should be referred:

• New approvals of foster carers and change of approvals of current foster carers to meet the needs of children requiring permanent foster care;
• Recommendations that 'Permanent fostering' is in a child's 'best interest', for children up to the age of 14 years;
• Recommendations about a child's matching and placement with approved 'permanent' long-term foster carers;
• Recommendations about the approval of connected persons foster carers for a specific child (see BFC connected person foster care policy);
• Connected persons foster carers seeking an SGO may need to go to panel for approval if the court process falls outside of the 16 week assessment period;
• Recommendations of approval of adopters in respect of Fostering for Adoption placements.

8.2.1 The following matters are not required to be presented to panel

• Recommendations in respect of Child Arrangement and Special Guardianship Orders and allowances for non-Children Looked After. These are agreed by the Head of Service, Life Chances and the Assistant Director though the SGO Panel;
• Plans that involve an older child's placement with carers until they reach independence. (Young people age 14+ see policy/procedures on leaving care). As above, it is good practice to present at panel or direct to the ADM who can agree the 'match';
• Plans to re-unite children and young people with parents;
• Plans for parents to place children and young people with relatives under private arrangements (unless Private Fostering Procedures apply).

For further guidance on presenting cases to panels see relevant panel procedures.

9. Timescales

9.1 Re-unification to parents

Delay is detrimental to children and young people. If a plan is made for a child to return to parental care but they have not returned within 6 months, the reasons for the delay should be carefully considered and documented and the viability of the original plans should be subject to further scrutiny at a Review Permanency Planning meeting and at the next statutory review.

9.2 Adoption

See Appendix A: National Adoption Standards / Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010: Timescales for timescales arising from the National Adoption Standards.

9.3 Permanent or long term fostering

The plan/criteria for matching should be reviewed if no suitable family is identified within 6 months of the start of the family finding process. In the event that no suitable family is identified within 12 months, then the viability of the plan should be subject to scrutiny at a Review Permanency Planning Meeting and by the Statutory Review meeting.

9.4 Special Guardianship or Child Arrangement Orders (CLA)

Any plan for either of these orders requires careful monitoring to ensure court deadlines are adhered to. If plans change during the assessment of a prospective guardian, the Review Permanency Planning meeting should be held and scrutinised at the next statutory review.

9.5 Contact

The child's need for contact should be formally assessed prior to any long- term plans being agreed. This will be considered as part of the 'needs' of the child and form part of the Family Finding process. It is however 'good practice' to ensure that any contact for children whom we are seeking to place in long- term care or with Connected persons / Special Guardians is reduced sufficiently to allow them to feel part of their new family. Contact also needs to be considered in its widest sense other than face-to-face, with Letterbox (TVA for Adoption), siblings and other forms discussed.

10. Resources to Support Permanency

Further guidance on permanence can be accessed via the following organisations of which Bracknell Forest has membership:

• CoramBAAF;
• Fostering Network;
• Research in Practice;
• Thames Valley Adoption.

11. Life Long Permanency

11.1 From initial contact

Consideration around permanency should be considered from the point of initial contact with families. This is embedded in our work and though single assessments.

11.2 Permanency Review for all CLA

In recognition of the need to ensure children's permanency needs are met at different ages and stages in their life there will be a quarterly review panel of permanency for all children.

In advance of the panel social workers will complete an update and review of the viable permanency options. At the panel these will be reviewed and a decision made by the Head of Service.

Appendices

Appendix A: National Adoption Standards / Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010: Timescales

Appendix B: CLA Family Finding Process for Permanence

Appendix C: Permanency process for CLA within care proceedings for children where the plan is adoption