The Child's Journey - Placement for Adoption

1. Planning for Permanence

1.1	Every Child Looked After must have a Permanence Plan by the date of their second Looked After Review (4 months). If this timescale is not met, the reasons for this must be recorded on the child's case record.
1.2	When an Adoption Plan is being considered in relation to a Child Looked After, either as the preferred Care Plan or the Parallel Plan, consideration should be given to inviting a representative of the One Adoption Family Finding Service to the relevant meeting. It is important that all other alternatives for the child's future have been explored. This could include placement with the child's extended family or the making of a Child Arrangements Order or a Special Guardianship Order. The term parallel planning refers to the possibility of agreeing an Adoption Plan whilst simultaneously exploring a fostering plan, rather than exploring these options one after the other. There are compelling pragmatic reasons for adopting dual planning in appropriate cases. In the first place it may shorten the period during which the child has to remain in limbo, a very important consideration particularly if the child is older or has already been in the care system too long. The term can refer to a child who remains with their parents or is placed with temporary foster carers while a rehabilitation plan is implemented. At the same time an alternative plan for permanence is developed, which would usually involve a different set of carers, to ensure that it is available as soon as it is clear that rehabilitation is not going to be achieved. Parallel planning can also refer to seeking adoptive and foster parents at the same time. In this case the Adoption Panel will recommend that the child should be placed for adoption while, at the same time, acknowledging that the fostering plan may be pursued. In broad terms, the first use of the term can be taken as referring to younger children than the second use of it. The first use implies potential rehabilitation; the second emphasises a clear pathway to permanence once rehabilitation is deemed unlikely. Common to both is the ambition to avoid delay and unnecessary disruption.
1.3	Family finding should begin 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.
1.4	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 need to be considered will include: the nature of the sibling group (do the siblings know each other/ how are they related); an analysis of each child's earlier experiences of abuse, trauma and neglect; the nature of the behaviour and relationship between the siblings; the health needs of each child; each child's view (noting that a child's views and perceptions will change over time) and a thorough understanding of the type and intensity of parenting that would be needed to parent the children together.
1.5	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 place 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 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').
1.6	Section 9 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 amends section 1(4)(f) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 added 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 Placements Procedure.

2. Obtaining Agency Approval to Adoption Plan

2.1	Only children who are relinquished for adoption (and where there is no application for a Placement Order) will be presented to the Adoption Panel who will make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker regarding the child's suitability for adoption. This recommendation is then considered by the Agency Decision Maker who confirms their final decision regarding the appropriateness of the plan. Children subject to care proceedings have their cases presented directly to the Agency Decision Maker for consideration regarding their suitability for adoption. It is important that legal advice about parental consent and the option of seeking a placement order is obtained in good time and made available to the Adoption Panel and the Agency Decision Maker. As soon as adoption becomes the permanence plan for the child (decided at the second statutory review) the child's social worker must book an Adoption Panel or Agency Decision Making time on the booking form via the One Adoption Panel admin inbox. Once received, Panel business support will then email a booking confirmation stating the agreed date and giving guidance about the paperwork required which will include: Referral form and a request for a health assessment; Adoption memorandum - information for birth parents and a leaflet on independent support; Consent form for health information; Child's Permanence Report (see CoramBAAF Form Combined CPR and Annex B Practice Direction); Guidance notes on the adoption procedure; CoramBAAF medical forms PH and M/B. The social worker must contact the One Adoption Panel administrator (in a case which is to be referred to the Adoption Panel, i.e. where the parents have given consent and there is no application for a Placement Order) via email using One Adoption Panel Admin inbox for a date to be arranged for presentation of the case to the Adoption Panel and must ensure that the child's medical is arranged in a timescale to allow it to be completed and written up for the Panel submission date. In cases which are to be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker, a date must be arranged for presentation to the Agency Decision Maker and the same procedures apply. Adoption regulations require that a child has a pre-adoption health report which will be arranged by the child's social work team. Eight weeks' notice is required to complete the pre-adoption medical. The adoption medical or updated adoption medical must have been completed within 6 months of the SHOBPA ADM and within 6 months of the Panel Match. The social worker must provide the following information before the medical appointment with the Agency Medical Adviser: The completed referral form; Recent medical report (if any); Growth charts and record of immunisations (if available); Brief social history, including child's experience, list of placements, nurseries attended etc; CoramBAAF form PH (medical information on birth parents); CoramBAAF form M/B (neonatal reports if available). The child, their foster carer and the social worker should attend the adoption medical. One Adoption will confirm the date for consideration by the Adoption Panel/Agency Decision Maker by email. The date is not confirmed until the email has been received. The date when the case will be considered by the Panel/Agency Decision Maker must be a maximum of 2 months from the date when the adoption plan was ratified at the child's Looked After Review. This ensures the regulations are met and the decisions about permanence for the child are made within 6 months of the child becoming Looked After. If this is not met, the reasons for this must be recorded in the child's case record.
2.2	The child's social worker opens an Adoption Case Record for the child. 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 2 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 the adoption memorandum 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 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, Support and Information Sharing for Birth 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 - for detailed procedures, see Section 5, Child's Adoption Medical.
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, Support and Information Sharing for Birth 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 Work and Pensions 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.
2.8	The child's social worker must contact the child's health visitor or school health for current information in relation to the child's health and development.
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. Coram BAAF Form CRC this will be submitted as part of the paperwork for the ADM decision.
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 on-going direct contact or indirect contact via a letterbox system - see Section 6, Post-Placement Contact. If the child has siblings who are adopted, the social worker should contact the Family Finding Team Manager who will arrange for a letter to be sent to the adopters to advise them of the plan for permanence for the child. This will give the adopters time to consider their family circumstances, their child's needs in relation to possible contact arrangements and the opportunity to give relevant information about their child, which could be included in the Child's Permanence Report. The possibility of the adoptive parents being considered for the sibling will be addressed where appropriate.
2.12	The child's social worker must also carry out an assessment 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 (CPR) 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). All sections of the report must be completed in full and the report must be read and its content agreed by the social worker's Team Manager who must sign off their agreement. When completing the CPR some parts, such as family details or planning for the children may be replicated: however, the child's own information (including Chronology) must be individualised. The CPR must be as comprehensive as possible as it has multi purpose usage e.g. It is used for matching purposes, it is the basis of initial information provided to prospective adopters, it can be used as the basis for an Annex A adoption record and it is likely to be the first information the child will read about themselves when older. 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 their 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; 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 (where possible); A social history/chronology of each birth parent; The views of the birth family and significant others in relation to the adoption plan and contact. It would be ideal if birth parent consent can be obtained to the sharing of information with the child in the future e.g. When they seek information about their birth history at a later date; A report of the child's educational history and current needs, including the Personal Education Plan (PEP); Any other relevant specialist reports on the child; An assessment of the child's emotional and behavioural development, including their wishes and feelings about the plan of adoption where appropriate; An assessment of the child's needs for post-placement and post-adoption contact, 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; and 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.
	Presentation to the Adoption Panel
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 Section 2.15, Referral directly to Agency Decision Maker. This must take place within 6 weeks of the completion of the CPR. 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 CPR (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 based on a pre adoption medical not longer than 6 months before the date of the panel; 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; Confirmation that there has been a Looked After Review that has confirmed adoption as the sole plan for the child; 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 Panel/ Agency Decision Maker. This will usually be in summary form within the CPR but in appropriate cases the full report/s should be presented. The child's social worker will send the relevant reports to the Panel Administrator at least 14 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. (N.B. Where the social worker is seeking a recommendation in relation to a proposed placement of the child with particular prospective adopters at the same time, the procedure set out in Section 8, Approval of Matching of Adoption Parents must also be followed). The Panel will consider the written reports and any additional information presented verbally. The Panel will make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker. 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 7 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. This discussion must be recorded and placed on the child's Adoption Case Record.
	Referral directly to Agency Decision Maker
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 Panel Administrator 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 Section 2.14, Presentation to the Adoption Panel. The child's social worker will send the relevant reports to the Agency Adviser at least 14 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 and will identify the additions/amendments and corrections that are needed to the reports. The social worker will attend the ADM meeting with their team manager where appropriate. The social worker will be required to summarise the key points of the case planning / clarify points raised by the ADM. 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 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 Section 5, Agency Decision Maker of the Adoption Panel Procedure.
	After the Decision
2.16	The birth parents will be informed orally of the agency's decision within 2 working days and written confirmation should be sent to them within 5 working days. These arrangements will be made by the One Adoption Panel Administrator in conjunction with the child's social worker. The letter setting out the agency decision will be sent to the social worker for delivery by hand to the birth parents. The child's social worker will also ensure that the child is informed of the decision in a timely and age-appropriate way.
2.17	Where the Agency Decision Maker 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 (IRO) of the Court timetable including when the placement application is filed. N.B. Local authorities cannot make applications for Placement Orders until it has been decided by the Agency Decision Maker that the child should 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.
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. Where the child lives in Wales, the request should be forwarded to the Welsh National Assembly.
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 on 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 if appropriate, as soon as adoption is part of the child's Care Plan. Any information given to the child should be confirmed in writing and any discussions with the child should be fully recorded. 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 Supervising Social Worker will support the foster carers in playing their part in the implementation of the plan.
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 and supported during the period of introductions - see Section 9, Planning the Placement.
3.4	Where appropriate the child's social worker will encourage and assist the birth 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.

4. Counselling, Support and Information Sharing for Birth 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.
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.
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 time-scales and any contact 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 (including unmarried fathers). 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 to an independent adoption support agency that offers birth parent counselling - PAC UK.
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 and the right of the unmarried father to seek a Parental Responsibility Order or 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 contact including whether they would wish to meet the adoptive family and if so, how they might prepare for this; Providing information to the parents on national and local support groups, and other possible sources of help; Explaining how the parents may be able to provide information to be passed to adopters, for example, on the child's birth and early life, which may be of benefit to the child. Additionally, parents should be encouraged to consider what information, mementoes and photographs they might wish to leave with the agency to be passed on to the child in the future.
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 or 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. Efforts must be made to include the birth father in the counselling process, even though he may be a peripheral figure. The reasons for this are that the father may wish to have his views considered and may wish to apply for a Parental Responsibility Order, his consent to adoption will be required if he has Parental Responsibility. The child is also likely to require background family information on him and extended family members, including health information when older.
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 Working with Birth Parent Relinquished Babies 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.
4.1.14	Where the parents wish to conceal from members of their family the fact of the child's existence, the courts, generally have been reluctant to override a parent's determination for the extended family not to be informed but as with fathers without Parental Responsibility, agencies should avoid giving parents any understanding that the birth or the proposed adoption will be kept secret. Each case will have to be considered on its own facts.

4.2 Procedural Fairness

The adoption agency / local authority must ensure that the birth parents are informed and advised of the key stages of the plan for adoption so that they 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 was confirmed as having 'significant legal and emotional impacts for all involved, and so the child, the parent and the prospective adopters. As such, it is an important step in the process leading to an adoption'. The judgement identifies that:

There should be the opportunity for the person affected to make representation before the decision is acted upon;
The affected person should be 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 birth 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).

Counselling Fathers Without Parental Responsibility

The adoption agency, or the courts, has the discretion whether to contact a father without Parental Responsibility where the mother does not want to disclose his identity. In exercising this discretion, an adoption agency should consider the nature of the child's relationship with the father and the nature and extent of the father's relationship with the child's mother and any siblings of the child. It must also consider whether it would be contrary to Article 8 of the European Convention for Human Rights to prevent disclosure of the birth of a child to the child's father. Article 8 guarantees respect for private and family life.

It is important that the agency makes it clear to the mother that disclosure is a matter for the agency's or court's discretion and therefore the agency must be careful not to give any undertakings as to whether or not the father will need to be notified of adoption proceedings.

If the father's identity cannot be established, the agency should seek legal advice. One option would be to seek a direction from the court on whether it is lawful to place the child for adoption without consulting the father. Another option, available only to local authorities, is to apply for a placement order where the local authority considers that the requirements for Section 31 of the 1989 Act are met.

Where the mother gives consent to placement for adoption, or advance consent to adoption, and subsequently marries the child's father, the father would acquire Parental Responsibility and thus become a parent within the meaning of the 1989 Act.

Relinquishment for Adoption of Children Aged Less than 6 Weeks

Where a pregnant woman approaches the agency and indicates that her intention is to relinquish the child for adoption, the agency should provide her with pre-birth counselling. This counselling should include explaining the options for the child's future care:

Staying with the parent or parents, with close support where possible. Where the baby and mother are accommodated with foster carers, trained to care for the baby and support the mother, the intention is to help the mother overcome her anxiety and develop her parenting skills and confidence so that she is able to care for the child;
Short term foster care, with the aim of returning the child with support;
Long term placement within the child's wider family;
Placement for adoption.

The mother should be given an explanation of the procedures for placing her child for adoption and the legal implications. This must include that her consent to her child's adoption will not be effective until 6 weeks after the child's birth. The agency should ascertain and record her wishes and feelings.

The agency should also provide pre-birth counselling and ascertain the wishes and feelings of the expected child's father. Where the agency knows the father's identity and is satisfied it is appropriate to do so, the agency should also counsel him and any other person the agency considers relevant to the child, and it should ascertain their wishes and feelings. AAR 14 should be followed, where it is reasonably practicable for the agency to do so.

The agency should consider the care options for the child, and where it considers that adoption is the preferred option it should:

Commence the child's permanence report and health report;
Arrange for the Agency Medical Advisor and adoption panel to be ready to consider the case as soon as possible after the child is born. In some cases it may be feasible with enough preparation for the adoption panel to be ready to consider the case within a day or so of the birth and the agency decision maker to make a decision the same day.

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 must follow their own agency's process to arrange a pre-adoption medical as outlined in paragraph 2.1 according to their local procedures, as 8 weeks notice is required. 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 procedure needs to be started without delay so that the adoption medical can be arranged; the adoption medical must take place before the child's plan for adoption is considered at the Adoption Panel and/or by the Agency Decision Maker, (unless the Medical Adviser has advised it unnecessary - see paragraph 5.1). In cases which are presented to the Panel for consideration of whether the child should be placed for adoption (see paragraph 2.1), the Medical Adviser must be in a position to advise the Panel/Agency Decision Maker of the child's health needs.
5.3	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.
5.4	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.
5.5	In cases which are not presented to the Panel for consideration of whether the child should be placed for adoption (see paragraph 2.1) and expert reports have been filed with the court that are relevant to the child's health, consideration should be given to whether to seek a specific direction from the court allowing the report to be disclosed to the Medical Adviser for comment.
5.6	The foster carer and the child's social worker should attend the medical with the child.
5.7	The information on the child's medical report must be kept up to date if a placement is not immediately forthcoming. This must be done twice yearly for a child aged below 2 years and annually for a child of 2 years and above. The Medical Adviser may, however, make specific recommendations in relation to particular children.
5.8	Once the medical has been completed and returned to the social work team, a copy should be sent to the One Adoption Panel Administrator prior to attending Adoption Panel or the meeting with the Agency Decision Maker. This should be sent to the One Adoption panel admin inbox.

6. Post-placement Contact

6.1	The child's social worker must undertake a written assessment as to the best interests of the child to support any contact proposals as part of an adoption plan, or reasons why no contact is 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 contact and the child's behaviour before, during and after contact.
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 contact between the child and the parents and/or siblings would be in the child's best interests, and if so, what form it should take. The nature and frequency of contact will be influenced by the need to maintain attachments and/or long-term identity issues.
6.4	Post-placement and post-adoption contact may take the following forms: Adoptive parents providing non-identifying information about the child to the birth family through letter-box contact organised and maintained by the adoption service (one way indirect contact); Adoptive parents and the birth family sharing non-identifying information about themselves through letter-box contact organised and maintained by the adoption service (two way indirect contact); Direct letter box and/or telephone contact between the adoptive parents and the birth family; Direct face-to-face contact between the child and the birth family, which may be organised and maintained by the adoption service, where such continuing support is appropriate.
6.5	Any proposed post-placement and post-adoption contact should be in line with any Court Orders.
6.6	Where post-placement and post-adoption contact is considered to be in the child's interests, it should be part of the information shared with prospective adoptive parents during the matching process - see Section 7, Identification of Adoptive Parents and also part of the planning of the placement - see Section 9, Planning the Placement.

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 order ceased to have effect upon the agency being authorised to place the child for adoption;
Any person who had a Child Arrangements 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. Family finding should begin 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 Placements 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 6 months of the agency's formal approval that the child is suitable to be placed for adoption, except in the following cases:
- Where a parent requests adoption for a child of less than 6 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	The timing of the start of the family finding will depend on the legal position and should be agreed between the child's social worker and the Family Finder, but a profiling meeting and family finding plan will usually be made as early as possible and preferably before SHOBPA.
7.2	The child's social worker and the Family Finder will address the following issues: The preparation of the child's profile 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 (usually the social worker with support from the foster carer) 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 advertising where Court proceedings are on-going; To consider whether or not the child's current carer would be appropriate as a prospective permanent placement - if so, see paragraph 7.11; To plan the family finding work, giving consideration to the availability of in-house approved families, the opportunity of an inter-agency placement, and advertising for families in the national, local and ethnic media. To agree time-scales for the family finding work including the holding of progress meetings; The child's social worker, current foster carer and the family finder will complete the child's profile, identifying the child's needs in relation to a new family, including ethnicity, culture, religion, language, contact with birth family and existing networks, education, health, other special needs and location, and the qualities required in the adoptive family, based on the child's identified placement needs. The profile should identify which needs are essential and which 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 does not share the child's racial or cultural background) Where the profile indicates the child should not be placed locally, an external adoptive placement will be sought.
7.3	The family finder will consider whether there are any potentially suitable in-house approved families (including families going through the assessment process) by sharing the child's profile with the Recruitment and Assessment Service and through presentation of the child at the Regional Placement Group and reading copies of any available Prospective Adopter's Reports. Where foster carers express an interest in adopting a child placed with them, see paragraph 7.9.
7.4	Where there are potentially suitable in-house approved families indicating an interest, the family's adoption social worker will clarify whether they wish to be considered. The child's social worker will be given the PARs of up to 3 shortlisted families and asked with their manager to decide upon which one of the families they feel is the strongest match and reasons for this. If there are disagreements between the children's social work service and One Adoption worker about which family to visit and why there will need to be a meeting between the social workers and manager from both services to agree the way forward.
7.5	The family finder will provide the selected prospective adopters with full information on the child, including the CPR, the child's profile, a full description of the birth family including any siblings and the reasons for any decision to place the child separately, 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. The items provided should be clearly recorded and the prospective adopters should be asked to sign confirmation of receipt of this information. A joint visit will be undertaken to the selected family by the child's social worker, Family Finder and adopters' social worker to explore the link in detail. Following this visit a formal discussion needs to take place to decide whether the match should proceed and to record the decision making process.
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 that 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. By 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. Prospective adopters should be able to access support, education and training to strengthen their skills together with their knowledge and understanding of the child's birth heritage, to help the child develop a healthy racial and adoptive identity.
7.7	The Family Finder should also arrange to meet the prospective adopters, with the child's social worker (and carer if appropriate), to give any further information to them and ensure they have a clear picture of the child and understand fully the implications of the information they have received. In all cases, the prospective adopters should have the opportunity to meet the Medical Adviser and any other key people involved with the child.
7.8	If there are no suitable in-house prospective or approved adoptive carers who can meet the child's identified essential needs, the social worker must explore inter-agency options in conjunction with the social worker.
7.9	Where foster carers express an interest in adopting a child they are looking after, and there is an adoption plan for the child they should discuss their interest with their supervising social worker and the child's family finder (if involved) and then complete and expression of interest form as set out in the Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters Procedure. There will be an initial Home Visit by an adoption social worker with the child's social worker to talk to them about the implications of adoption. Following this visit there will be a meeting involving the child's social worker, their line manager and the foster carers' supervising social worker (with their line manager where appropriate). The chair of the meeting will be the Adoption Team Manager or their nominee. If the outcome of the meeting is that the foster carers appear to be able to meet the child's essential needs, the case will be allocated for an assessment of the foster carers as adopters to proceed (see Assessment and Approval of Adoptive Parents 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 social worker will provide support and counselling to the foster carers as appropriate. If the foster carers decide to proceed with an application to adopt the child without the agreement of the agency, the Non-Agency Adoption Procedure will apply.
	Inter Agency Placements
7.10	The Family Finding Team Manager will ensure that consideration is given to all options for placement which will include referrals to the other RAAs, The VAAs, Adoption Match, Linkmaker and the full range of local and national profiling and Exchange Day events. Consideration will also be given to other forms of family finding publicity in the specialist or wider press according to the identified needs of the child. If legal proceedings are on-going and the child is subject to an interim care order, referral to Adoption Match can be made provided the necessary consents and the court's agreement have been obtained. Where it is considered that a placement of the child with overseas adopters would be appropriate, see Section 12, Adoptive Placements Abroad.
7.11	here an external search for interagency adopters has been authorised, the social worker in conjunction with the family finder will undertake the following: Ensure that the necessary consents are in place to enable this to happen/or the Court's leave has been granted where Court proceedings are on-going; Arrange for professional photographs or a DVD to be prepared for publicity purposes; Draw up a suitable profile.
7.12	Other members of the Adoption Service as well as the child's social worker should be made aware of the dates of the publicity and a response to callers should be agreed.
7.13	Responses from families not yet approved should be dealt with as follows: Take details of the family; Give limited, anonymised information about the child, in order to help the caller decide whether this is a situation they wish to pursue; Give general information about the adoption and family finding process, bearing in mind that the caller has not gone through the assessment and preparation process; Arrange a more appropriate time to hold or continue the discussion, as appropriate; If, on the basis of the discussions held, it is not considered appropriate, having regard to the needs of the child, to pursue the response, the caller should be advised of the decision, with reasons, and provided with contact details of other agencies which may be of help to them.
7.14	Responses from already approved families should be dealt with as follows: Take details of the family; Give limited, anonymised information about the child, in order to help the caller decide whether this is a situation they wish to pursue; Give general information about how the family finding is being conducted, bearing in mind that the family's own agency may approach this in a different way; If, on the basis of the discussions held, it is not considered appropriate, having regard to the needs of the child, to pursue the response, the caller should be advised of the decision, with reasons; If the family is considered suitable, their details and the names of their agency and social worker should be taken. The family should be asked to inform their social worker of their approach to the city and that the family finder will contact the social worker; The family finder should then contact the family's social worker and share information about the child and the family. Where it is considered that the match is not appropriate, the family's social worker should be asked to discuss this with the family and the family finder need take no further action; If it is considered that the link should be pursued, the adoptive family's social worker and the family finder should agree to exchange the Prospective Adopter's Report and the CPR, with a follow up discussion after they have been read. The family finder should also forward to the adoptive family's social worker information about the agency's adoption support; The adoptive family's social worker may wish to visit the family to go through the CPR, and should be asked to indicate as soon as possible whether or not the family wish to proceed.
7.15	The procedure outlined in paragraphs 7.4 to 7.8 will then be followed and the child's social worker and family finder will visit potential families prior to a Matching Meeting being held. Once a suitable match has been identified, (whether with in-house approved adopters, inter agency or a foster carer approved as an adopter), the child's social worker, prospective adopters' social worker and the family finder should prepare an Adoption Placement Report and a proposed Adoption Support Plan giving details of the family recommended, evaluating how this family can meet most of the child's needs and setting out the proposed adoption support services to be offered to the child, adoptive family and birth family - see Adoption Support Services. 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, contact arrangements (including meeting with the birth parents), adoption support and any proposed restrictions on their exercise of Parental Responsibility after the placement.
7.16	The child's social worker and the prospective adopters' social worker and their respective managers should sign both documents.
7.17	The social worker should also contact the Panel Administrator to arrange a date for the Adoption Panel to consider the proposed placement.
7.18	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).
7.19	The social worker or prospective adopter's social worker should provide a copy of the Adoption Placement Report to the prospective adopters and give 10 working days to them to submit any 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 6 months of the agency's formal approval that the child should be placed for adoption, except in the following cases:
- Where a parent requests adoption for a child of less than 6 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.

	Presentation to the Adoption Panel
8.1	The Social Worker must present the following reports to the Adoption Panel: The Child Permanence Report updated as necessary including any recommendations made by the panel or agency decision maker (where the child is under 2 years old, the medical report must have been updated or completed within the previous 6 months); 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. If additional financial expenditure is required to support the proposed placement, this must be agreed through the appropriate decision making process in the child's local authority prior to the matching panel; The proposed Adoption Support Plan which specifically addresses the needs of this child in this placement; The proposals regarding post-placement and post-adoption contact; The views of the prospective adopters on the prospective adopter's report and the proposed support and contact arrangements.
8.2	The Social Worker will send the relevant reports to the Panel Administrator at least 14 working days before the date of the Adoption Panel.
8.3	The Panel Administrator will arrange for all relevant previous Panel minutes to be circulated to Panel members, with the reports. Where there is a proposed inter-agency placement, the social worker will obtain the relevant Panel minutes for circulation from the approving agency. Any other paperwork relevant to the match should also be circulated e.g. an annual review of the adopters.
8.4	The child's social worker and the prospective adopters' social worker will attend the Adoption Panel during consideration of the matter. The prospective adopters will also be invited to attend.
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 48 hours, unless they have attended panel, in which case they will be informed by the panel chair at the time.
8.7	After the panel has considered the reports and made a written recommendation, the final set of minutes and reports considered by the panel will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker who will make a decision within 7 working days of receiving the final minutes. The prospective adopters will be notified of the decision orally within 2 working days and in writing within 5 working days. In urgent cases this timescale should be reduced accordingly. The decision will be recorded in writing. If the Panel has given advice in relation to adoption support, proposed contact 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 birth parents within two working days and in writing within 5 working days.
8.9	The prospective adopters' social worker will convey the decision orally to the prospective adopters within 2 working days and in writing within 5 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 within 5 working days. Copies of this letter will also be sent to 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 Social Worker and Adoption Social Worker will convene a Placement Planning Meeting to draw up an Adoption Placement Plan, confirming the details of the introductions, placement and post-placement work. The Adoption Team Manager or their nominee will chair the meeting. This should take place at a venue accessible to all parties e.g. an office.
9.2	For inter agency placements, a separate consideration will also be required, involving the Adoption Team Manager or their nominee, to complete CoramBAAF Form IA which details the contract between the agencies and the adoptive family in relation to the placement. This can be agreed by telephone and signed using email or post.
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 for the placement (see below); Proposed date of the placement; Who will be present when the placement takes place; Adoption support plan; Whether, and to what extent, the exercise of Parental Responsibility by the prospective adopters and/or the birth parents is to be restricted; 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 later life letters will be passed to the prospective adopters, see Life Story Books Guidance; Date and arrangements for the first Adoption Review; Any post placement contact between the child and members of their birth family and/or the child and the foster carers; 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.
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 child's social worker must ascertain the child's views and report these to the meetings.
9.6	Those attending Placement Planning Meetings will be the child's social worker, their manager as appropriate, the foster carers, the foster carers' supervising social worker, the family finder, the prospective adopters and their social worker, and any other worker engaged in direct work with the child.
9.7	The child's first meeting with the prospective adopters should be on the child's familiar territory (unless the child is older and requests otherwise) and a social worker should be present. The pattern of introductory visits thereafter will depend on the child's age, needs and stage of development but consideration will be given to a gradual introductory programme involving visits increasing in length, progressing to an overnight stay, a weekend stay (as appropriate) and in exceptional circumstances with an older child, a longer period prior to the final move.
9.8	The social worker and adoption social worker will be responsible for coordinating Placement Planning Meetings. 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 CSDM 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, foster carer and prospective adopter 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 Adoption Placement Plan will then be reviewed at an agreed date. The Plan will identify the named workers and when they will have contact with the child.
9.9	The child's social worker will advise the birth 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).
9.10	At the mid-point of the introductions, a second Placement Planning 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.
9.11	A further meeting can be called by the chair if any of the parties feel issues of concern arise and the chair believes that they are best addressed by a further meeting.
9.12	All Placement Planning Meetings should have the same people invited and take place at a venue accessible to all parties.
9.13	A copy of the final Adoption Placement Plan, signed by the child's social worker, should be given to the prospective adopters, their social worker and the child's Independent Reviewing Officer. The prospective adopters must confirm in writing that they wish the placement to proceed. A copy must be retained on the child's Adoption Case Record.
9.14	Where contact is part of the adoption plan, the proposals must be drawn up in written agreements to be signed by the birth parents and the prospective adoptive parents. The agreements must specify the form and timing of the contact and the arrangements for putting the contact in place. All parties must sign and retain copies of the agreement. The parent's copy should not reveal any identifying information about the placement. See also Section 6, Post-placement Contact.
9.15	If the Adoption Placement Plan is varied or terminated, the child must be informed in a timely and age appropriate way.
9.16	Where the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, the birth parents must be informed (unless the parent has stated that they do not wish to be kept informed).
9.17	If the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, the Adoption Team Manager should consider the best way to conduct a disruption review - see Disruption of Adoptive Placement.
9.18	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 a Disruption Review must be held. 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.
9.19	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 Review) and prepare an update report for panel.

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 will be present only in exceptional circumstances 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; 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 contact arrangements pre and post adoption with the birth parents and any previous carers; The Adoption Support Plan; The Adoption Placement Plan including 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 and date confirmation of receipt.
10.3	Prior to the placement, notification must be sent by adoption administration to the present and new GP, the local authority where the adoptive family live, the relevant Integrated Care Board 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	Prior to the placement, the Medical Adviser should be requested to send a medical report on the child to the child's new GP and, in appropriate cases, to meet the adopters to discuss medical issues.
10.5	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.
10.6	The child's social worker must inform the birth 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).
10.7	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.
10.8	The social worker will 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.
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 present a further report to the Adoption Panel or the Agency Decision Maker (dependent on where the child's initial plan for adoption was recommended) 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.
11.3	The Adoption Panel or Agency Decision Maker may request an earlier progress report on an individual case when first considering the child.
11.4	The outcome of any reviews by the Adoption Panel or Agency Decision Maker should be notified to the child (if old enough), the birth parents (in appropriate cases) and any other relevant person.

The child's details should be passed to Adoption Match (previously the Adoption Register) by One Adoption at SHOBPA and if no locally identified match is being actively pursued immediately after the decision by the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) that the child should be placed for adoption, and, in any event, at the latest by 3 months.

12. Adoptive Placements Abroad

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

The child may be considered for an adoptive placement with known prospective adopters in which case it will be for the adoption agency to satisfy itself that the prospective adopters are suitable to adopt the child. Otherwise, the child may be referred to the Department for Education (DfE) for a suitable linking to be identified, (see below).

In either circumstance, the case must be referred to the Agency Decision Maker or Adoption Panel in accordance with Section 1, Planning for Permanence seeking a formal recommendation that adoption outside the UK is in the best interests of the child. The Child's Permanence Report must include an assessment of the possibility of placing the child for adoption in the British Isles and consideration of whether adoption of the child by a person in a particular country would be in the best interests of the child.

The Agency Decision Maker must consider the recommendation and decide whether the child should be placed for adoption overseas. The notification to the child (if old enough) and the parents must include an explanation of the placement possibilities in the British Isles and abroad.

Where a decision is made to pursue the option of placement overseas, the child's social worker should consult with Legal Services about the legal process.

Where No Prospective Adopters have Been Identified

Where such a decision is made to place the child overseas, the child's social worker must notify the DfE of the following:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where it is decided that the prospective adopters are suitable, the DfE should be notified and the proposed match referred to the Adoption Panel for consideration in accordance with the usual procedure. Included in the papers to be presented to the Panel must be the report on the prospective adopters by the foreign authority.

The child's social worker must notify the DfE of the decision made.

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

Where the prospective adopters decide to go ahead with the placement, they will be required to travel to meet the child.

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

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

If the prospective adopters still wish to go ahead and the Placement Planning Meeting confirms that the placement meets the child's needs, the child's social worker must inform the DfE, who will contact the overseas authority to confirm that they are content for the placement to go ahead and that the child will be permitted to enter and reside permanently. In these circumstances, the DfE will enter the necessary agreement with the overseas authority.

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

The prospective adopters will need to seek independent legal advice about the need to apply for a Convention Adoption Order in the UK (which will require the child to be with the adopters for at least 6 months prior to the application) or a Section 84 Order from the High Court granting them Parental Responsibility to take the child outside the UK for the purposes of adoption (which will require the child to be with the adopters for at least 10 weeks prior to the application). In either case, the Court will require a social worker's report.

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

Where Prospective Adopters have been identified

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

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

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

The prospective adopters will need to seek independent legal advice about the need to apply for a Section 84 Order from the High Court granting them Parental Responsibility to take the child outside the UK for the purposes of adoption (which will require the child to be with the adopters for at least 10 weeks prior to the application). Where such an application is made, the Court will require a social worker's report.

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

The Child's Journey - Placement for Adoption

1. Planning for Permanence

2. Obtaining Agency Approval to Adoption Plan

Presentation to the Adoption Panel

Referral directly to Agency Decision Maker

After the Decision

3. Preparation of Child for Adoption

4. Counselling, Support and Information Sharing for Birth Parents

4.1 Counselling and Support for Parents

4.2 Procedural Fairness

Counselling Fathers Without Parental Responsibility

Relinquishment for Adoption of Children Aged Less than 6 Weeks

5. Child's Adoption Medical

6. Post-placement Contact

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

Inter Agency Placements

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

12. Adoptive Placements Abroad

Where No Prospective Adopters have Been Identified

Where Prospective Adopters have been identified