The child’s details are referred to the Adoption and Children Act Register when no locally identified match is being actively pursued at the latest by three months after the agency’s decision-maker has decided that the child should be placed for adoption.
STANDARD 13 - Matching and placing the child with prospective adopters who can meet most of their assessed needs
(Adoption Agencies)
Underpinning Legislation
Adoption and Children Act 2002:
- 1 - Considerations applying to the exercise of powers
- 18 - Placement for adoption by agencies
- 19 - Placing children with parental consent
- 21 - Placement orders
- 22 - Applications for placement orders
Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005:
- 31 - Proposed placement
- 35 - Requirements imposed on the adoption agency before the child may be placed for adoption
Further Guidance:
Outcome
- Children benefit from stable placements and are matched and placed with prospective adopters who can meet most, if not all, of their assessed needs;
- Children feel loved, safe and secure with their prospective adoptive parents with whom they were originally placed; and these children were placed within the time frame set out in the adoption scorecard indicators A1 (average time between a child entering care and moving in with his or her adoptive family, for children who have been adopted) and A2 (average time between a local authority receiving court authority to place a child and the local authority deciding on a match with an adoptive family)*.
* The scorecard indicator thresholds can be found in Annex B of the statutory guidance on Adoption on GOV.UK’s website at www.gov.uk
13.1
13.2
The prospective adopter’s details are referred to the Adoption and Children Act Register as soon as they have been approved as suitable to adopt if they consent and it seems unlikely that there will be a placement with a child in their area, or at three months when no locally identified match is being actively pursued. Prospective adopters are advised that they may refer themselves to the Adoption and Children Act Register three months after their approval.
13.3
The consent of the birth parents to their child being placed for adoption is sought, or an application for a placement order is made as part of the care proceedings, immediately after the decision of the agency’s decision-maker that the child should be placed for adoption, bearing in mind that any delay is likely to prejudice the child’s welfare.
13.4
The Prospective Adopter’s Report and the Child’s Permanence Report are used to identify prospective adopters who can meet the majority, if not all, of the child’s needs as set out in the Child’s Permanence Report.
13.5
When a match is being considered, the placing agency will provide the prospective adopter’s social worker access to the whole content of the child’s adoption case record so that they may be fully aware of the child’s background, health, emotional and developmental needs and practical implications for parenting that child.
13.6
The agency has met with the prospective adopters and has discussed with them the proposed placement and the implications for them and their family; ascertained the views of the prospective adopters and, as far as possible, provided them with a counselling service and access to specialist medical/educational advice.
13.7
The prospective adopters are helped to fully understand the child’s background, health, emotional and developmental needs and the practical implications for parenting that child before they agree for the match to be passed to the adoption panel.
13.8
The adoption agency has procedures for introducing a child to the prospective adopters and others living in the household that can be adapted to the individual needs of the child and prospective adopters.
13.9
The prospective adopters are invited to attend the placement planning meeting and are given a copy of the placement plan.
13.10
The child and prospective adopters feel well prepared before the placement and are happy with the pace of the introductions and the date of placement. The child visits the prospective adopters’ home before the date the child moves into the home.
13.11
The child is given information about the prospective adopters, their home and, when applicable, their children, family and pets before they are placed with prospective adopters. The child knows whether they will have their own bedroom, which school they will be attending and is given information about the local area, facilities and activities.
13.12
The child knows how they may contact their social worker and understands the contact arrangements with birth parents, members of their birth family, and significant others.