3.11.16 Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements

1..	Arrangements for and frequency of visits for supervising the placement must be made at Placement Planning Meetings and incorporated into the Adoption Placement Plan - see Section 8, Child’s Adoption Medical and Child Health Report of Placement for Adoption Procedure Visits must be made by suitably experienced and qualified social workers or social workers/student social workers who are supervised by suitably qualified and experienced social workers - see Section 5, Permanence and Local Placement of Permanency Panel Procedure.
2.	This will involve the child’s social worker making the following visits at a minimum: Once within the first week of the placement and then weekly until the first review Thereafter, visits to the child every six weeks for the first year After this, visits to the child on a three-monthly basis
3.	The adopters’ link worker will also carry out visits at intervals agreed in the Adoption Placement Plan. The suggested minimum frequencies for these visits are: Within the first week of the placement Once in the next two weeks Fortnightly until the first review Every two or three weeks between the first and second review At least four weekly thereafter
4.	The visits should continue until an Adoption Order has been made or until the placement is terminated.
5.	The adopters should be made aware of the out of hours service provided by the Emergency Duty Service.
6.	All visits must be recorded and a copy of the record placed on the child’s Adoption Case Record.
7.	Between visits, the social workers involved must discuss progress in the placement and read each other’s record of visits during the monitoring period.
8.	Where appropriate, adopters should be assisted to obtain help or advice from other professionals and specialists, including the adoption support adviser.
9.	Where there are concerns that the placement is at risk of breaking down,a review meeting must be convened immediately by the child’s social worker - see Review of Adoptive Placement Procedure.
10.	The child should be seen alone (if appropriate according to his or her age and understanding) at all of the visits, whether undertaken by the child’s social worker or the adopters’ link worker, and his or her wishes and feelings recorded.
11.	The child’s social worker will arrange for the child to continue to have medical assessments in line with his or her Health Care Plan and that the Health Care Plan continues to be reviewed up to the Adoption Order in accordance with the procedures for Looked After Children. See Health Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure.
12.	The procedures to be followed where a placement disrupts are set out in Ending (Disruption) of Adoptive Placements Procedure.
13.	The adopters’ link worker will assist the adopters with their adoption application and support them through the Court process.
14.	The adopters’ link worker will also ensure that where there is post-adoption contact, a Post-Adoption Contact Agreement is in place prior to the making of the Adoption Order; any changes to previously agreed contact arrangements need to be discussed and agreed by all concerned prior to the changes taking place.
15.	Visits to the child and adopters after the Adoption Order will be made as and when required under the Adoption Support Plan - see Adoption Support Services Procedure.

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