Placement for Adoption

Every Looked After Child must have a Permanence Plan by the date of their second Looked After Review.

When an adoption plan is being considered in relation to a Looked After Child, consideration should be given to inviting a representative from Adopt London  to the relevant meeting, usually a Permanence Panning meeting Chaired by the Permanence Lead in the Local Authority.

In relation to a child whose parents are requesting adoption by consent, an early planning meeting should be arranged to which a representative of Adopt London the Adoption Service must be invited. Where adoption is considered to be the preferred option for a child, it should begin family finding immediately in order to achieve early placement following the decision.

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.

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 Together or Apart assessment of the individual needs of each child in the group, and the likely or possible consequences of each option on each child. Factors that may need to be considered will include: the nature of the sibling group (do the siblings know each other/ how are they related); whether the children have formed an attachment; the health needs of each child; and each child's view (noting that a child's views and perceptions will change over time). It may be that the Court make a Contact order to ensure contact between the siblings takes place.

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').

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: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters Procedure.

Not all cases must be referred to the Adoption Panel. Cases where the criteria apply for the local authority to apply for a Placement Order, i.e. the child is the subject of a Care Order or the Threshold Criteria for a Care Order are satisfied or where there is no parent or guardian, will not be referred to the Adoption Panel for a recommendation, but will be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) for a decision. All other cases (i.e. where the parents have given consent and there is no application for a Placement Order) will continue to be referred to the Adoption Panel for a recommendation, which the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) will take into account when making a decision.

As soon as adoption is the Permanence Plan for the child, the child's social worker must

• Arrange a date for the case to be referred to the Adoption Panel (where the parents have given consent and there is no application for a Placement Order)/ Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) (in all other cases).
  This date must be a maximum of 2 months from the date when the adoption plan was ratified at the child's Looked After Review. Where this timescale is not met, the reason should be recorded; 
  Continue to provide counselling for the child - see Section 3, Preparation of Child for Adoption;
• Make a referral to the Adoption Service for a family finder to be identified.

The child's social worker opens an Adoption Case Record for the child once adoption has been identified as the permanence plan for the child at their Looked After Review or, where a child has been relinquished for adoption, as soon as the parent's request for adoption has been made. Where the plan relates to a group of siblings, there must be a separate Adoption Case Record for each child.

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.

The child's social worker should give both birth parents written information on adoption and ask them to sign confirmation of receipt, a copy of which should be kept on the child's Adoption Case Record and a further copy should be handed to the parents.

If either or both of the birth parents refuse to accept or do not receive the information, this should be recorded, with reasons, on the child's case record and Adoption Case Record. Where the parents' address is known, the child's social worker should personally deliver or arrange for delivery by hand of a copy of the information to the address and record this on the Adoption Case Record. See also Section 4.1, Counselling and Support for Parents.

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.

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 4.1, Counselling and Support for Parents. If either or both of the parents decline or refuse counselling and/or support, then this should be recorded, including the reasons, in the child's electronic record and Adoption Case Record.

Where one or both of the birth parents cannot be found, the child's social worker must make extensive enquiries as to their whereabouts. The social worker should write to the parent's last known address and contact the Department for Works and Pensions and other agencies (including the Council Tax Register, the Passport Office and the housing authority) as appropriate. Consideration should also be given to the need to place advertisements in the local and national press and legal advice should be sought as to any additional steps that should be taken.

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.

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.

The child's social worker must ask the child's carer to complete a report on the child. (This will be required for the Child's Permanence Report - see paragraph 2.13).

The child's social worker must ensure that the adoption plan addresses the issue of post-placement and post-adoption contact. This will include the expectation that there will be a  meeting between the parents and the adopters, and whether there may be ongoing direct contact or indirect contact via a letterbox system - see Section 6, Post-placement Contact.

If the child has siblings, the plan must analyse the relationship between each child in the sibling group and, if the decision is to place siblings separately, address the issue of post-placement and post-adoption contact between them.

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.

Using all the information obtained in relation to the above, the child's social worker must prepare the Child's Permanence Report. The Child's Permanence Report must be written by the social worker who knows the child best, who must also be a qualified social worker with suitable experience (see Adoption Panel Procedure).

The following areas must be included or addressed in the Report:

• Profile of the child, based on a report from the child's current carer as well as other information about the child's personality, nationality, racial origin, religious persuasion, legal status and relationship with 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 (Regulation 17 Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005);
• The child's wishes in relation to the adoption plan and their preferred method of communication;
• A chronology of the child's life since birth;
• The preparation work, undertaken and planned, with the child and the views of the child in relation to the adoption plan and future contact with their birth family;
• The views of the Children's Guardian (where possible);
• The views of the birth family and significant others in relation to the adoption plan and contact and their opportunity to receive and comment on the report before the report is presented to Adoption Panel/Agency Decision Maker;
• A report of the child's educational history and current needs, including the Personal Education Plan (PEP);
• Any other relevant specialist reports on the child;
• An assessment of the child's emotional and behavioural development;
• An assessment of the child's needs for post-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;
• 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

See paragraph 2.1 for circumstances when the case will be referred to the Adoption Panel, and when the case will be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker. Where cases are referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker, paragraph 2.14 does not apply and the procedure is set out in 2.15 below.

This must take place within 6 weeks of the completion of the Child's Permanence Report.

To enable the Adoption Panel to consider whether the child is suitable to be placed for adoption, the child's social worker must present the following reports:

1. A front sheet stating what is being reported, the reports included, the recommendations sought and who will be attending Adoption Panel;
2. The Child's Permanence Report (including the Medical Adviser's comments) signed by the child's social worker, the manager and the parent (if willing), and a photograph of the child, together with the parents' written comments (if any);
3. The child's health report and the health information obtained in relation to the parents (where the Medical Adviser so advises);
4. Legal advice about parental consent and the option of seeking a Placement Order;
5. 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. The full reports should be presented unless they are voluminous, in which case, as a minimum, those sections setting out the experts' opinion, conclusions and recommendations should be provided. A written summary of such reports should only be provided if all parties to the court proceedings agree in writing that the summary is fair and accurate. Copies of the full reports should be available for Panel members (at the panel meeting) and the Agency Decision Maker to consult if desired.

The child's social worker will send the relevant reports to the Panel Coordinator at least 10 working days before the relevant date of the Adoption Panel.

The child's social worker together with their manager if appropriate will attend the Panel meeting during consideration of the matter. Where a Children's Guardian has been appointed, consideration should be given to inviting the Children's Guardian to the Panel during consideration of this item; however, there is no requirement upon the Panel to allow the children's guardian to attend the Panel and make oral submissions. The report of the Children's Guardian must not be disclosed without the leave of the court.

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 Adoptive Parents must also be followed.

The Panel will consider the written reports and any additional information presented verbally. The Panel will make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption). 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 minute must be held on the child's Adoption Case Record.

For cases which are presented to the Adoption Panel, the final minutes must be produced promptly and agreed by the Panel members and then sent to the Agency Decision Maker, together with the reports considered by the Panel, to allow the decision to be made within seven working days of receipt of the panel's recommendation and final set of panel minutes.

The Agency Decision Maker must record their decision in writing, together with reasons.

Where the Agency Decision Maker is minded to disagree with the Panel recommendation, they must first discuss the case with another senior officer with relevant experience, who must not be a Panel member. This discussion must be recorded and placed on the child's Adoption Case Record.

Referral directly to Agency Decision Maker

See paragraph 2.1 for circumstances when the case will be referred to the Adoption Panel, and when the case will be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker.

Where cases are to be referred directly to the Agency Decision Maker for a decision, a time should be booked with the Agency Decision Maker for the decision to be made and this should be a maximum of 2 months from the date when the adoption plan was ratified at the child's Looked After Review. In order for the decision to be made within this timescale, the Agency Decision Maker should be sent the same reports and information as would be submitted to the Adoption Panel, as set out in paragraph 2.14, Presentation to the Adoption Panel.

The child's social worker will send the relevant reports to the Agency Adviser at least 10 working days before the relevant date booked with the Agency Decision Maker.

The Agency Adviser will be responsible for checking the quality of the reports before they are submitted to the Agency Decision Maker.

In making the decision the Agency Decision Maker may discuss the case with the Agency Adviser, Medical Adviser and legal adviser. However, there is no provision for adjourning the decision to allow time for taking advice. NB The Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) is expressly prohibited from referring a case to the Adoption Panel for advice.

The principles of the decision-making should be as set out in Adoption Panel Procedure, Agency Decision Maker.

After the Decision

The parents will be informed orally of the agency's decision within two working days and written confirmation should be sent to them within five working days. These arrangements will be made by the Agency Decision Maker in conjunction with the child's social worker.

The letter setting out the agency decision will be sent by recorded delivery, except where delivery by hand has been agreed as appropriate, in which case the letter will be forwarded to the social worker for delivery by hand.

The child's social worker will also ensure that the child is informed of the decision in a timely and age-appropriate way.

In cases where the case has been presented to the Adoption Panel and the decision is different from the Panel's recommendation, a copy of the Panel minute should also be sent to the parents.

Where the Designated Manager (Placement Orders) 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 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 is suitable to be placed for adoption.

Where there is parental consent to the child's adoptive placement and/or advance parental consent to the child's adoption, and the child is more than 6 weeks old, the child's social worker must arrange for a written request to be sent to CAFCASS to appoint an officer to witness the consent. Where there is parental consent to the child's placement and the child is less than 6 weeks old, the social worker should ask the parents to sign a written agreement in the prescribed form to facilitate an early placement.

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.

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).

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 as soon as adoption is part of the child's Care Plan. Any information given to the child should be confirmed in writing and any discussions with the child should be fully recorded. The child's preferred method of communication should be known and there should be no assumption that a child is unable to communicate or understand. 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.

The foster carers' supervising social worker will support the foster carers in playing their part in the implementation of the plan, including careful recording by the foster carers of any changes in the child's behaviour. 

Once an adoptive placement has been identified and approved, the child's social worker is responsible for ensuring the child is properly prepared for the first meeting with the prospective adoptive family and is appropriately counselled during the period of introductions - see Section 9, Planning the Placement.

As part of the preparation of the child for the adoptive placement, information will be provided to ensure that they have a proper understanding about the accommodation and others living at the prospective adoptive home, the contact arrangements with the birth family and how to contact their social worker.

The child's social worker will encourage the parents to write a 'Later Life' letter for the child, and to provide information to enable the social worker to write a 'Later Life' letter for the child (to give to the adopters) within 10 working days of adoption ceremony, i.e. the ceremony to celebrate the making of the adoption order.

As soon as the adoption plan becomes part of the child's Care Plan, the child's social worker should write to the Medical Adviser regarding an adoption medical for the child. The Medical Adviser should be asked for advice on whether a full developmental medical is required and if so, who should conduct the medical and whether any tests or opinions are required. (In some cases, the Medical Adviser may consider that there is already sufficient up-to-date health information on the child and a further medical examination is not required).

Note that Regulation 15 Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 provides that arrangements must be made for the child to be examined by a registered medical practitioner and for a report on the child's health to be obtained on the state of the child's health, any treatment which the child is receiving, any need for health care and the matters listed in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Regulations:

1. Name, date of birth, sex, weight and height;
2. A neo-natal report on the child, including:
   1. Details of the birth and any complications;
   2. The results of a physical examination and screening tests;
   3. Details of any treatment given;
   4. Details of any problem in management and feeding;
   5. Any other relevant information which may assist the adoption panel and the adoption agency; and
   6. The name and address of any registered medical practitioner who may be able to provide further information about any of the above matters.
3. A full health history of the child, including:
   1. Details of any serious illness, disability, accident, hospital admission or attendance at an out-patient department, and in each case any treatment given;
   2. Details and dates of immunisations;
   3. A physical and developmental assessment according to age, including an assessment of vision and hearing and of neurological, speech and language development and any evidence of emotional disorder;
   4. For a child over five years of age, the school health history (if available);
   5. How their physical and mental health and medical history have affected their physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development; and
   6. Any other relevant information which may assist the adoption panel and the adoption agency.

A Child's Health Report must be obtained unless:

1. The Medical Adviser has given advice that such an examination and report is unnecessary; or
2. The child is of sufficient understanding to make an informed decision and refuses to submit to the examination or other tests.

The child's social worker should send the Forms B and M (requesting an obstetric report on the mother and neo-natal report on the child) to the hospital social work team (if one exists at the hospital where the child was born) or the Hospital Administrator with a request that the Form be completed and returned to the social worker. Where the child was born at home, the Form should be sent to the mother's GP.

The child's social worker should write to the Medical Adviser requesting a medical for the child and at the same time inform the Medical Adviser when Forms B and M were requested.

The procedure needs to be started without delay so that the adoption medical can be arranged; the adoption medical must take place before the child's plan for adoption is considered by the Adoption Panel/Agency Decision Maker, (unless the Medical Adviser has advised it unnecessary - see paragraph 5.1). The Medical Adviser must be in a position to advise the Panel/Agency Decision Maker of the child's health needs.

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.

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.

The child's social worker should send the relevant age-appropriate CoramBAAF Form for completion after the medical.

The foster carer should attend the medical with the child and, if appropriate, the child's social worker should also attend.

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 and annually for a child of 2 and above. The Medical Adviser may, however, make specific recommendations in relation to particular children.

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.

Where there is a sibling group, each child must be assessed separately and together as a group.

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.

Post-placement and post-adoption contact may take the following forms:

1. 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);
2. 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);
3. Direct letter box and/or telephone contact between the adoptive parents and the birth family;
4. 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. Funding of travel arrangements, venue costs and other associated expenses remains the responsibility of the placing Local Authority.

Any proposed post-placement and post-adoption contact should be in line with any Court Orders.

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 (including Inter Agency Placements) 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 (previously Residence Order)  immediately before the agency was authorised to place the child for adoption;
• Any person who had care of the child under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court  immediately before the agency was authorised to place the child for adoption.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Following the identification of the family finder (see paragraph 2.1), the timing of the start of the family finding will depend on the legal position and be agreed between the child's social worker and the family finder.

The child's social worker and the family finder will address the following issues:

1. 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;
2. To consider who should undertake the preparation of the child, and to determine how the child may be involved in and express views about the process of finding a family;
3. To discuss parental involvement in the placement process (and parental consent to advertising, if applicable);
4. 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 ongoing;
5. To consider whether or not the child's current carer would be appropriate as a prospective permanent placement - if so, see paragraph 7.12;
6. 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, there should also be a written risk assessment to support this conclusion.

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 Adoption Service 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 7.12.

Where there are potentially suitable in-house approved families indicating an interest, the family's adoption social worker will visit to clarify whether they wish to be considered. In complex cases, the child's social worker will accompany the adoption social worker to enable specific issues to be discussed.

Where suitable in-house approved adoptive families are available, the family finder will arrange a Matching Meeting involving the child's social worker, the social worker's manager and the adoption social workers for the potential families. An Adopt London  Manager will chair the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting is to consider the available in-house approved potential families, and decide which appears the best able to meet the child's needs. The meeting should also consider:

• The preparation of the child, the present carers and the prospective adopters for the proposed placement, including the sharing of information with the prospective adopters;
• The preparation of the birth family and the information to be given;
• The allocation of preparatory tasks for the introductory work;
• The proposed Adoption Support Plan and any proposed contact arrangements;
• The designated roles and responsibilities for completing the Adoption Placement Report and the proposed Adoption Support Plan.

The relevant adoption social workers for the family/families concerned will inform the selected family and the unsuccessful families of the decision, together with reasons, on the same day as the meeting. They will also offer follow up discussions as required.

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 virtue of the Children and Families Act 2014, adoption agencies no longer have to give due consideration to a child's religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background when matching a child and prospective adopters. 

When a child has developed a sense of their culture or religion, and where they have already begun to speak a language other than English, it is important to find prospective adopters who, while not necessarily sharing any of these, are willing and able to help the child develop these important elements of their future identity.

Where a child is very young, particularly when still in infancy, it is important not to make assumptions about religion, culture or language and these should not be imposed on a very young child. A sense of one's culture is developed over time and it should not be assumed that an infant possesses a cultural, linguistic or religious background. These issues can be explored with the child as they  grow up and a sensitive prospective adopter will encourage the child, if they  wish to do so, to probe these aspects of their birth parents' background. All prospective adopters should help children placed with them to understand and appreciate their background and, particularly in the case of older children, their religion, linguistic or cultural background, for example, celebrating cultural or religious festivals. 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.

The family finder will provide the selected prospective adopters with full information on the child, including the Child's Permanence Report, 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.

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 appropriate cases, the prospective adopters should have the opportunity to meet other specialists involved with the child, for example the Medical Adviser.

If there are no suitable in-house prospective or approved adoptive carers who can meet the child's identified essential needs, the adoption worker must explore inter-agency options.

Where foster carers express an interest in adopting a child they are looking after, and there is an adoption plan for the child, the family finder will talk to them about the implications of adoption and will convene a Permanency Planning 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 Service 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 Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters Procedure).

If they are approved as adopters, the requirements set out in Section 8, Approval of Matching of Adoptive Parents as to the approval of the matching and in Section 10, The Placement as to the provision of information and notification of the placement must be followed.

If the outcome of the meeting is that the foster carers are not able to meet the child's essential needs, the recruitment of adopters as set out in the preceding and following paragraphs of this chapter will apply. The foster carers' supervising worker will provide support and counselling to the foster carers as appropriate.

If the foster carers decide to proceed with an application to adopt the child without the agreement of the agency, the procedure set out in Non-Agency Adoptions will apply.

Inter Agency Placements

The Adoption Manager will ensure that consideration is given to all options for placement which will include referrals to the other Adopt London regions and other inter agency placements using Link Maker, according to the identified needs of the child. It should be borne in mind that the most suitable family may be one that has been approved by another agency.

Where it is considered that a placement of the child with overseas adopters would be appropriate, see Section 12, Adoptive Placements Abroad.

Where recruitment of adopters from another agency has been authorised, the family finder will undertake the following:

• Check that either the parents (for an Accommodated child) and/or the child's social worker's manager have signed the Consent to Publicity Form and/or the Court's leave has been granted where Court proceedings are ongoing;
• Arrange for professional photographs to be taken of the child for publicity purposes;
• Agree with the child's social worker that Link Maker will be used for publicity purposes, and draw up suitable profiles.

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.

Responses from families not yet approved should be dealt with as follows:

1. Take details of the family;
2. Give limited, anonymised information about the child, in order to help the caller decide whether this is a situation they wish to pursue;
3. 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;
4. Arrange a more appropriate time to hold or continue the discussion, as appropriate;
5. 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.

Responses from already approved families should be dealt with as follows:

1. Take details of the family;
2. Give limited, anonymised information about the child, in order to help the caller decide whether this is a situation they wish to pursue;
3. 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;
4. 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;
5. 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 borough and that the family finder will contact the social worker;
6. 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;
7. 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 Child's Permanence Report, 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;
   
   
8. The adoptive family's social worker may wish to visit the family to go through the Child's Permanence Report, and should be asked to indicate as soon as possible whether or not the family wish to proceed.

The procedure outlined in paragraphs 7.4 to 7.8 above will then be followed and the child's social worker and family finder will visit potential families prior to a Matching Meeting being held.

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 may meet the child's needs and setting out the proposed adoption support services to be offered to the child, adoptive family and birth family. This will include including the support to be provided to the prospective adopters to promote the child's educational achievements and participation in leisure activities; to help the child develop positive relationships; and to manage any challenging behaviour which the child may display. The support plan will also include arrangements for contact including how to deal with unauthorised or unmediated contact through online social networking sites. For further information, please see Adoption Support Procedure.

The Adoption Placement Report must be written by a qualified social worker with suitable experience (see Adoption Panel Procedure) and must include the prospective adopter's views on the proposed placement, contact arrangements (including meeting with the birth parents), adoption support and any proposed restrictions on their exercise of Parental Responsibility after the placement.

The child's social worker, family finder, the prospective adopters' social worker and their respective managers should sign both documents.

The family finder should also contact the Panel Coordinator to arrange a date for the Adoption Panel to consider the proposed placement.

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).

The family finder 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, or ask them to sign a disclaimer if they do not require the full 10 working days. A copy of the signed disclaimer should be held on the child's Adoption Case Record.

Presentation to the Adoption Panel

The family finder must present the following reports to the Adoption Panel:

1. A front sheet stating what is being reported, the reports included, recommendations sought and who will be attending Adoption Panel;
2. The Child's Permanence Report (with an updated medical report no more than 6 months old);
3. The Prospective Adopter's Report, updated as necessary, on the identified prospective adopters and a recent medical (in the last 2 years);
4. The Adoption Placement Report;
5. The proposed Adoption Support Plan;
6. The proposals regarding post-placement and post-adoption contact;
7. The views of the prospective adopters on the Prospective Adopter's Report and the proposed contact arrangements.

The family finder will send the relevant reports to the Panel Coordinator at least 10 working days before the date of the Adoption Panel.

The Panel Coordinator will arrange for the Panel minutes in relation to the recommendations that the child should be placed for adoption and, where in-house approved, that the prospective adopters are suitable to be adopters, to be circulated to Panel members, with the reports. Where there is a proposed inter-agency placement, the family finder will obtain the relevant Panel minutes for circulation.

The child's social worker, the family finder and the prospective adopters' link worker will attend the Adoption Panel 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.

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.

The prospective adopters' social worker will convey the Panel's recommendation orally to the prospective adopters within 24 hours.

After the Panel has considered the reports and made a written recommendation, the minute and reports considered by the Panel will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker who will make a decision based on this information within 7 working days of the Panel meeting. In urgent cases, for example where the Court timetable requires it, this timescale should be reduced to 5 working days. 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.

The child's social worker will convey the decision orally to the parents within 2 working days.

The prospective adopters' social worker will convey the decision orally to the prospective adopters within 2 working days.

The Panel Coordinator 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.

The Panel Coordinator will send the written notification, signed by the Agency Decision Maker, to the prospective adopters' social worker for sending to the adopters within 5 working days. Copies of this letter will also be sent to the family finder and the child's social worker.

Children will be introduced to their prospective adopters sensitively and with careful and considered planning that promotes attachment. This is now likely to include play dates before the match has been to panel and formal introductions begin. Once the matching has been approved and the legal position allows it, the family finder will convene a Placement Planning Meeting to draw up an Adoption Placement Plan, confirming the details of the formal introductions, placement and post-placement work. The Adoption Manager will chair the meeting.

For inter-agency placements, a separate process which may include an additional meeting will also be required, involving the Adoption Manager, to complete CoramBAAF Form IA which details the contract between the agencies and the adoptive family in relation to the placement.

The purpose of the first Placement Planning Meeting is to draw up a proposed Adoption Placement Plan. Adopt London follows the UEA Moving to Adoption model and as such introductions may take longer and follow a different pattern than a more traditional approach to adoption introductions. 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);
• The proposed date of the placement, who will be present when the placement takes place;
• The Adoption Support Plan including the support to be provided to the prospective adopters to promote the child's educational achievements and participation in leisure activities; to help the child develop positive relationships; and to manage any challenging behaviour which the child may display;
• Whether and to what extent, the exercise of Parental Responsibility by the prospective adopters and/or the birth parents is to be restricted, including the delegation of decision making to the prospective adopters about the child's health needs and under what circumstances consent to medical treatment needs to be obtained;
• The arrangements for the monitoring and supervision of the placement (including contact details of key support staff during office hours and out of hours);
• The dates on which the life story book and any Later Life letters will be passed to the prospective adopters (usually within 10 working days of the adoption ceremony, i.e. the ceremony to celebrate the making of the adoption order);
• The date and arrangements for the first Adoption Review;
• Any post-placement contact between the child and members of their birth family and/or the child and the foster carers; and
• Clarification of who will make the necessary notifications of the placement (see Section 10, The Placement).

It will also set out the steps required leading up to the child's placement with the prospective adopters, including the first meeting between the child and the prospective adoptive family, the programme of and detailed arrangements for their introductions (dates, times, venues, transport and accommodation), the reimbursement of any expenses of the introductions, any other financial assistance to enable the placement to occur and, where appropriate, a meeting between the parents and the prospective adopters.

As part of the preparation of the child for the adoptive placement, information will be provided to ensure that they have a proper understanding about the accommodation and others living at the prospective adoptive home, the contact arrangements with the birth family and how to contact their social worker.

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).

The child's social worker must ascertain the child's views and report these to the meetings.

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, representatives of the health trust (where appropriate), the prospective adopters and their social worker, and any other worker engaged in direct work with the child.

The child's first formal 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, although they may have already met for a play date with the prospective adopters and their foster carer. The pattern of introductory visits thereafter will depend on the child's age, needs and stage of development but consideration will be given to a gradual introductory programme involving visits increasing in length, progressing to an overnight stay, a weekend stay and in exceptional circumstances with an older child, a longer period prior to the final move.

The family finder 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 the family finder or the Chair of the meeting and must be notified to the prospective adopters in writing.

The child's social worker is expected to be in regular and frequent contact with the child, 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 - see paragraph 9.10 below. The Plan will identify the named workers and when they will have contact with the child.

The child's social worker will advise the parents of the plan whilst maintaining the confidentiality of the placement (unless the parent has stated that they do not wish to be kept informed).

At the mid-point of the introductions, a review Placement Planning Meeting will be held, at which the following areas will be addressed:

1. 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?
2. The views of each participant as to the above;
3. The identification of the positives;
4. The identification of any difficulties;
5. The development of the next stage of the plan;
6. The finalisation of the arrangements for the placement.

A further meeting can be called by any of the parties if issues of concern arise.

All Placement Planning Meetings should have the same people invited and take place at a venue accessible to all parties.

Where the child is to be adopted by their foster carers, whilst there will be no need for a plan for introductions, the social worker should still convene a Placement Planning Meeting, in order to draw up the Adoption Placement Plan to cover the areas other than introductions as set out above and to specify the date when the placement is to be regarded as an adoptive placement.

A copy of the final Adoption Placement Plan, signed by the child's social worker, should be given to the prospective adopters, their link worker and the child's Independent Reviewing Officer. The prospective adopters must confirm in writing that they wish the placement to proceed and that they agree to the Adoption Placement Plan. A copy must be retained on the child's Adoption Case Record.

Where contact is part of the adoption plan, the proposals must be drawn up in 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. The agreements must also specify that the arrangements may change dependent upon the wishes of the child. The agreement should also include how the prospective adopters should deal with unauthorised or unmediated contact through online social networking sites. All parties must sign and retain copies of the agreement. The parent's copy should not reveal any identifying information about the placement. See also Section 6, Post-placement Contact.

If the Adoption Placement Plan is varied or terminated, the child must be informed in a timely and age appropriate way.

Where the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, the parents must be informed (unless the parent has stated that they do not wish to be kept informed).

If the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, the Adoption Service Manager should consider the best way to conduct a disruption meeting - see Disruption of Adoptive Placements Procedure.

Where children are not settling into their adoptive placements, leaders and managers will take steps to ensure that the plan is reviewed with adopters to consider the best steps to take next. In the event of the placement's termination, direct work will be undertaken with the child to make sense of the reasons why the placement broke down and to prepare the child for any future placement.

In this event, the child's social worker and family finder must re-start the process of identifying a suitable prospective adoptive family or amend the plan for the child (depending on the outcome of the Disruption Meeting).

Once the matching of the child has been approved, the adoption agency has authority to place the child (either through a Placement Order or Parental Consent), the plan of introductions has been successfully completed and the Adoption Placement Plan has been completed and signed by all parties, the placement can go ahead. A social worker must be present when the placement takes place.

Prior to the placement, the child's social worker must ensure that all the following information/items have been provided to the prospective adopters:

1. Authority to consent to medical and dental treatment;
2. The parent-held Child Health Record;
3. 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;
4. The child's birth certificate;
5. The child's passport (if applicable);
6. A copy of the Care Order (if applicable), Placement Order (if applicable) and any other Court Orders that exist;
7. A copy of the Parental Consent to the Placement and Advance Consent to Adoption (if applicable);
8. A written plan of the contact arrangements pre and post adoption with the birth parents and any previous carers;
9. The Adoption Support Plan, including a named post-adoption social worker;
10. The Adoption Placement Plan including arrangements for support and visits by the child's social worker and their own social worker;
11. Any other relevant information, including specialist reports (subject to the author's consent).

The prospective adopters should be asked to sign confirmation of receipt. Where the information/items are provided at different times, the prospective adopters must sign and date confirmation of receipt on each occasion.

Prior to the placement, notification must be sent by the worker identified in the Adoption Placement Plan to the present and new GP, the local authority (where the adoptive family live outside the borough), the relevant Health Trust and, if the child is at nursery or of school age, the relevant local education authority (with information about the child's education history and whether the child has special needs). These notifications are still required where the prospective adopters were previously the child's foster carers.

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.

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.

The child's social worker must inform the parents of the date of the placement, unless the parents have stated that they do not wish to be kept informed. No identifying information about the placement should be conveyed to birth parents or relatives (see Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness).

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.

The family finder will inform the Panel Administrator of the date of the placement as soon as it is made and inform the relevant finance officer where the Adoption Support Plan includes financial support so that payments can start.

The child will be the subject of regular Adoption Reviews, chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer - see Adoption Reviews Procedure.

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 identifying the length of the delay, the reasons and the steps being taken to address any difficulties, including consideration of a review of the adoption plan and/or a possible change to long-term fostering/separation of siblings.

The Adoption Panel may request an earlier progress report on an individual case when first considering the child.

The outcome of any reviews by the Adoption Panel should be notified to the child (if old enough), the birth parents (in appropriate cases) and any other relevant person.