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Contents

1. Formal Approval of Adoption Plan for the Child
2. Presentation to the Adoption and Permanency Panel
3. After the Adoption and Permanency Panel
4. Placement Orders
5. Where Parents are Consenting to Adoption
6. Preparation of Child for Adoption
7. Counselling and Support for Parents
8. Child’s Adoption Medical and Child Health Report
9. Post-Adoption Contact
10. Identification of Adoptive Parents
11. Matching a Child with Adoptive Parents
12. Planning the Placement
13. The Placement
14. Children Approved for Adoption for whom no Placement has been Identified
15. Adoptive Placements Abroad
    
    Appendix 1: Checklist for Locality Social Workers Working with Birth Parents

1. Formal Approval of Adoption Plan for the Child

1. Every Looked After Child must have a Permanence Plan by the date of his or her second Looked After Review.
2. When adoption is being considered in relation to a Looked After Child either as part of the Permanence Plan, the preferred Care Plan or the Contingency Plan, this must be ratified at the child’s Looked After Review.
3. In relation to an unborn child or a child relinquished for adoption by the parents and not yet looked after, the initial agreement to an adoption plan must be given at a planning meeting. This will subsequently be confirmed in the child’s Care Plan, once the child becomes Looked After.
4. As soon as adoption is part of the plan for the child (either the preferred or the Contingency Plan), the child’s social worker must contact the adoption duty social worker to arrange a permanence planning meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to review the permanence options for this child and ensure that all the options are considered in parallel so as not to cause delay.
5. When adoption becomes the preferred or only plan for the child, the locality social worker must contact the Permanency Panel Business Support Officer for a date for presentation of the case to the Adoption and Permanency Panel. The date for the Panel must not more than 8 weeks from the date when the adoption plan was ratified at the child’s Looked After Review.
6. The child’s social worker must open 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.
   
   The adoption case record will contain all relevant information, including health information, on the child and his or her birth parents, including copies of relevant information from the child’s case file. At this stage the locality social worker must separate the child’s ICS electronic file into an adoption section. GIST can advise if necessary. The social worker can obtain a checklist for the adoption record from the adoption team
7. The child’s social worker should refer the case to the Family Placement Unit Adoption Team using referral form FPU 121, to initiate the family finding procedure – see Section 10, Identification of Adoptive Parents.
8. 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.
9. The child’s social worker should give both birth parents a copy of the memorandum “Information for Parents on Adoption” (FPU 123) and the BAAF and DfE leaflets on adoption for birth parents and the contact details for After Adoption. After Adoption is an adoption support agency that works with all parties to the adoption triangle and is independent of the local authority. The locality social worker should ask the parents to sign confirmation of receipt, a copy of which should be kept on the child’s adoption case record. 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 memorandum, this should be recorded, including the reasons, on the child’s case file and adoption 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 FPU 123 to the address and record this on the adoption case record.
10. 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 8, Child’s Adoption Medical and Child Health Report.
11. 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. For detailed procedure, see Section 7, Counselling and Support for Parents. If either or both of the parents decline or refuse counselling, then this should be recorded, including the reasons, in the child’s file and adoption record.
12. 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 parents three last known addresses and contact the Benefits Agency and other agencies as appropriate. Consideration should also be given to the need to place advertisements in the local and national press.
13. 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.
14. The child’s social worker must contact the child’s school or the relevant local education authority for current information in relation to the child’s educational need.
15. The child’s social worker must ask the child’s carer to complete a report on the child.
16. 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-adoption contact between them.
17. The child’s social worker must discuss the plan for adoption with the child using one of the agency's children's guides to adoption and ensure that the adoption plan addresses the issue of post adoption contact. This will include a possible meeting between the parents and the adopters, and whether there may be ongoing direct contact or indirect contact via a letter box system. (See the leaflet on the boroughs Letter box Scheme). Any proposals for post-adoption contact will take account of information already available and assessments already undertaken – see Section 9, Post-Adoption Contact.
18. 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 his or her eligibility for financial support), the birth parents and any other person with a significant relationship to the child. This should be done in consultation with the Adoption Support Services Adviser in the adoption team. For the detailed procedures, see Adoption Support Services Procedure.
19. Using all the information obtained in relation to the above, the child’s social worker must complete the Child's Permanence Report for the child.

2. Presentation to the Adoption and Permanency Panel

To enable the Adoption and Permanency Panel to consider whether the permanence decision for the child should be recommended the child’s social worker must present the following in the child’s permanence report:

1. A front sheet stating what is being reported, the reports included and who will be attending Adoption and Permanency Panel (Form FPU 30)
2. The Child's Permanence Report in relation to the child (including full names but not addresses and the Medical Advisers comments) signed by the child’s social worker, the manager and the parent (if willing)
3. A full Adoption Medical and the child’s health report. See Section 8, Child's Adoption Medical and Child Health Report
4. Report from the child’s current carer;
5. The views of the child and children’s guardian (if already appointed).
6. The views of the birth family in relation to the adoption plan;
7. A report of the child’s educational needs, including the Personal Education Plan (PEP);
8. Any other relevant specialist reports on the child
9. Whether financial support is appropriate for the child
10. A report on the preparation work, undertaken and planned, with the child
11. A report on the counselling given to and support arrangements for the birth parents, (see Section 7, Counselling and Support for Parents)
12. The alternatives to adoption that have been considered
13. Where the child has siblings, whether the decision is to place siblings separately or together and the reasons for the decision.
14. The written assessment on the child’s needs for post-adoption contact, including with siblings, and the child’s and birth relatives’ needs for adoption support services
15. Legal advice about parental consent and the option of seeking a Placement Order.

Several of the above points can be included in the Child’s Permanence Report.

The social worker must take a photograph of the child to the Adoption and Permanency Panel meeting or arrange for the child’s carer to bring one.

The Panel is not able to make a recommendation “in principle” where there are outstanding re-unification assessments in progress. However it is possible to take a Child’s Permanence Report to Panel in order to get “advice” which can then be repeated to the Court. It would then be necessary to return the report to Panel when a decision has been made that adoption is the final plan and all extended family etc. have been explored or assessed and either withdrawn or deemed not suitable.

Where the social worker is seeking a recommendation in relation to the matching of the child to a specific adoptive placement at the same time as requesting a recommendation from the Panel that the child should be placed for adoption, the procedure set out in Section 11, Matching a Child with Adoptive Parents must also be followed.

The child’s social worker will send copies of the relevant reports to the Panel Business Support Officer at least 21 working days before the relevant date of the Adoption and Permanency Panel. The Adoption Team Manager will review the report and advise on any amendments that need to be made.

The child’s social worker will attend the Adoption and Permanency Panel meeting during consideration of the matter.

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) regarding the adoption plan. The Panel may give advice on the proposed contact arrangements and whether a Placement Order should be applied for. In doing so, the Panel must receive legal advice.

The recommendation and any advice given will be recorded in writing, together with reasons, in the Panels minutes. A copy of the relevant minute must be held on the child’s adoption case record.

The child’s social worker will convey the Panels recommendation orally to the child and the parents within 48 hours.

3. After the Adoption and Permanency Panel

After the Adoption and Permanency Panel has considered the report and made a written recommendation, the Adoption Panel Business Support Officer and the Adoption Team manager will send the recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) who will make a decision based on the Panels recommendation within 7 working days. The decision and the reasons for decision will be recorded in writing and the relevant parties informed.

The Panel Business Support Officer will advise the child’s social worker, who will convey the decision orally to the child (depending on age and understanding) and the parents within 48 hours.

The Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) will send written notice of the decision to the child (depending on age and understanding) and the parents within 5 working days. The method of delivery of the letter must be recorded.

If the child has not been placed for adoption within six months of a permanence decision for adoption, the child's case must be reviewed by an independent reviewing officer at 12 weekly intervals until the child has been placed for adoption.

See Appendix 1: Checklist for Locality Social Workers Working with Birth Parents

4. Placement Orders

1. Where a decision has been made to seek a Placement Order in relation to the child, the child’s social worker should consult with Legal Services in order to prepare the Court application. See also Placement Orders Procedure.
2. Placement Order: Where there is no Parental Consent to Adoptive Placement, a child can only be placed for adoption under a Placement Order. The Welfare Checklist and no order principle apply. The Placement Order can only be made if the Court dispenses with parental consent and the threshold criteria are met - this is not suitable if re-unification work is still in progress. The Local Authority has a duty to apply for a Placement Order where there are ongoing Care Proceedings and a decision has been made that the child should be placed for adoption.
3. A Placement Order gives Parental Responsibility to the local authority, which is shared with the birth parents and guardians and, on placement of the child, with the prospective adopters. The expectation is that if a child is not placed within 9 months of a Placement Order being made the local authority will consider whether to apply for the revocation of the Order.
4. Where a Care Order is also in force at the time of making a Placement Order the Care Order ‘ceases to have effect’ while the Placement Order is in force but it is not revoked. Supervision Orders, Section 8 Orders and Section 34 Contact Orders also cease to have effect.
5. A Placement Order can be revoked on application of ‘any person’ but no-one other than the local authority or the child may apply unless with the leave of the Court and the child has not been placed for adoption.

5. Where Parents are Consenting to Adoption

1.	Where the parent or guardian of a child is prepared to Consent to the placement of the child for adoption under section 19 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and, as the case may be, to consent to the making of a future adoption order under section 20 of the Act, the Locality Team social worker must request CAFCASS to appoint an officer. The CAFCASS offices will ensure the parent has full understanding of the meaning of adoption and that s/he has been properly counselled by the Agency. The CAFCASS offices will also sign on prescribed forms to witness the consent to placement or to adoption by that parent or guardian. The social worker must send with that request the information specified in Schedule 2 of the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 outlined below: A certified copy of the child’s birth certificate Name and address of the child’s parent or guardian A chronology of the actions and decisions taken by the adoption agency with respect to the child Confirmation by the adoption agency that it has counselled and explained to the parent or guardian the legal implications of both consent to placement under section 19 of the Act and, as the case may be, to the future making of an adoption order under section 20 of the Act. The parent or guardian would also be provided with written information about this plus a copy of the written information provided about him/her. See Section 7, Counselling and Support for Parents Such information about the parent or guardian or other information as the adoption agency considers the CAFCASS officer may need to know.
2.	The agency must not place a child less than six weeks old with an adopter unless there is agreement in writing from the parent/guardian or a Placement Order is in place. No consent is valid before the baby is six weeks old, i.e. the child can be placed with agreement but the parent can withdraw.
3.	Where consent is formally given and not withdrawn, parents can only oppose an adoption after an adoption application has been made with the leave of the Court. The Court will only give leave if there has been a change in circumstances.
4.	Where consent is withdrawn before an application for adoption is made but the child is already placed, the child should be returned to the parent within 14 days. If the child has not been placed for adoption, the child should be returned to the parent within 7 days. However, in these circumstances, the local authority can make an application for a Placement Order if deemed appropriate and the relevant criteria are present. See also Consent to Adoption Procedure.

6. Preparation of Child for Adoption

1.	The child’s social worker will ensure that Life Story Work with the child continues with the aim so 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 his or her wishes and feelings about the future, and The child has information on their birth family, which is kept safe for them 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, available from FPU, 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. Where a child’s wishes are not acted upon, for example a child’s wish to be placed with his or her siblings, this should be explained to the child, with reasons, and should be fully recorded. The child should be given information on how to contact an advocate and offered the opportunity to meet with an independent advocate.
2.	The foster carers’ social worker will support the foster carers in playing their part in the preparation of the plan, including careful recording by the foster carers in the Daily Record of any changes in the child’s behaviour.
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 during the period of introductions - see Section 12, Planning the Placement.
4.	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.

7. Counselling and Support for Parents

1.	The child’s social worker must explain to both parents the reasons for the adoption plan, the key stages of the adoption process, including the likely time-scales, and provide them with the memorandum, ‘Information for Parents on Adoption’ (Form FPU 123). If either or both of the birth parents refuse to accept or do not receive the memorandum, 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 FPU 123 to the address and record this on the adoption case record.
2.	The child’s social worker must offer to arrange independent counselling and support for both birth parents (including unmarried fathers) – currently the borough has an arrangement with ‘After Adoption’, a voluntary agency, to provide this. The counselling and support may need to be undertaken 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.
3.	The specific needs of parents arising from their ethnic minority groups must also be taken into account. An interpreter must be arranged where English is not their preferred language.
4.	In all cases, the social worker providing support to the parents or assisting with the process must be different from the child’s social worker.
5.	The purpose of the counselling/support is to ensure that the alternatives to adoption have been explored, the implications of adoption are fully discussed, the parents have independent support and the opportunity to express their views in relation to the plans for the child and be involved in planning for the child’s future wherever possible.
6.	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.
7.	It may also be appropriate for members of the extended family to receive counselling and support, where they have played a significant role in the child’s life.
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 the right of the unmarried father to seek a Parental Responsibility Order or a Residence Order in relation to the child Explaining the role of the Adoption and Permanency Panel Explaining the role of the CAFCASS Officer or Children’s Guardian Explaining the way the Adoption Contact Register works, including the new facility to register a wish not to be contacted, and how an adopted adult may seek information about the birth family in the future 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 the adoptive family should be recorded. Dealing with grief and loss Where the parents consent to the adoptive placement, explaining that they have the right to withdraw their consent at any time up to the making of an adoption application. Ascertaining the parents’ views on 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 Also see Consent to Adoption Procedure
9.	The parents should be encouraged to seek legal advice particularly where they are opposed to the adoption plan.
10.	The parents and their solicitors, if appropriate, must be sent copies of any written consents and/or recording of their views.
11.	Where the parents refuse or decline to accept counselling, 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.
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.
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.

8. Child’s Adoption Medical and Child Health Report

1. 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 requesting an adoption medical for the child. The Medical Adviser should be asked for advice about who should conduct the medical, what blood tests are necessary and if any other tests or opinions are required.
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 and Permanency Panel.
3. The child’s social worker must seek the cooperation of both birth parents to provide written consent to the disclosure of medical information by completing BAAF Consent Form, 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.
4. A separate Form A should be completed in relation to each parent.
5. The child’s social worker should then send the Forms M/B (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 Business Support Officer 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 mothers GP.
6. 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.
7. All completed medical reports, together with any other relevant psychological, psychiatric or educational reports should be sent to the Medical Adviser prior to the adoption medical so that s/he can contribute to the child's health report.
8. The child’s social worker should also attend the medical with the child and, depending on the child’s age and wishes, the child’s foster carer. The social worker should take a blank copy of the relevant BAAF Form for completion after the medical - BAAF Form IHA-C for children up to the age of nine, BAAF Form IHA-YP for children aged 10+).
9. 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 under 2 and annually for a child of 2 and above. (Form RHA-C up to age 9 and RHA-YP for 10+) Form C Annex and D Annex should be used in conjunction with these forms - these latter 2 will be revised. The Medical Adviser may, however, make specific recommendations in relation to particular children.

9. Post-Adoption Contact

1.	The child’s social worker must undertake a written assessment to support any post-adoption 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. Also see Permanence Planning Procedure.
2.	Where there is a sibling group, each child must be assessed separately and together as a group.
3.	The assessment should determine whether 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.
4.	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.
5.	Any proposed post-adoption contact should be in line with any Court Orders, for example a Contact Order made with a Placement Order.
6.	Where 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 10, Identification of Adoptive Parents and also part of the planning of the placement - see Section 12, Planning the Placement.

10. Identification of Adoptive Parents

The overall time-scale for matching a child with a prospective adoptive family is: Where a child is six months or more, match to be recommended by the Adoption and Permanency Panel within 6 months of the agencies formal approval of the adoption plan, Where parents request adoption for a child of less than six months of age, match to be recommended by the Adoption and Permanency Panel within 3 months of the agencies formal approval of the adoption plan.
	1.	Following the agency decision that adoption is the agreed permanence plan for a child, the Adoption Service will allocate the case for family finding and arrange a family finding planning meeting. An adoption worker, the child’s social worker (and his or her manager, as appropriate), the foster carer and their supervising social worker will attend the meeting, which will be chaired by the Adoption Team Manager or the Senior Social Worker in the Adoption Team.
	2.	The purpose of the planning meeting is: To identify the child’s needs in relation to a new family, including race, culture, religion, language, contact with birth family and existing networks, education, health, other special needs and location. To identify the qualities required in the adoptive family, based on the child’s identified placement needs To identify any other information about the child which is needed in order to identify a suitable family To clarify any other outstanding planning matters and identify what needs to be done, when and by whom 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 To discuss parental involvement in the placement process and parental consent to advertising (N.B. In the case of children who are the subject of Court Proceedings, the permission of the Court will also be required). To plan the family finding work, giving consideration to the availability of in-house families, the opportunity of an inter-agency placement, and advertising for families in the national, local and minority ethnic media. To agree time-scales for the family finding work.
	3.	The first step in family finding is to consider whether there are any potentially suitable in-house families. Where there is doubt about the availability of a suitable in-house family, external recruitment may be considered alongside internal recruitment, to minimise delay.
	4.	The identification of any potential adoptive families will be based on a consideration of the child’s placement needs and the type of family sought as agreed at the Family Finding Planning Meeting.
	5.	The family finder will then give a copy of the Child’s Permanence Report, which must be up-dated if necessary, to the relevant link worker for each potential family and the link workers concerned will provide a copy of the relevant families Prospective Adopter's Report or Form F to the family finder.
	6.	The family finder will give further information by telephone or in face-to-face meetings as appropriate to all families indicating an interest. This could be summaries of reports on the child’s, health, education or special needs. The child’s social worker and the family finder should meet potentially suitable families short listed and ensure that they have a copy of the Child’s Permanence Report. Potential adopters should also be given access to people who can help them clarify and explore the implications of the information they receive. They should be given a short time to decide if they wish to proceed.
	7.	Within one week of the interested families confirming their wish to proceed, the family finder will meet the child’s social worker and a short list will be drawn up of the most suitable families.
	8.	The family finder will arrange for the families not included on the short list to be informed of the decision, together with reasons.
	9.	The family finder will then arrange a Selection Meeting, to be chaired by an Adoption manager and attended by the family finder, the child’s social worker, his or her manager and the child’s current carer and supervising social worker (if appropriate). The purpose of the meeting is to consider all short listed families, and decide which appears the most suitable 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 match; The preparation of the birth family and the information to be given; The allocation of preparatory tasks for the introductory work
	10.	The child’s social worker will use the information collated at the Selection Meeting for presentation to the Adoption and Permanency Panel – see Paragraph 18.
	11.	The family finder will inform the selected family and the unsuccessful families of the decision, together with reasons, on the same day as the meeting. The relevant link worker will offer follow up discussions as required.
	12.	If there is no suitable in-house prospective adoptive family available, recruitment through inter-agency arrangement or publicity in the specialist and/or wider press will be considered. ‘Fliers’ can be sent to other agencies and/or referrals can be made to the West London and Westminster Partnership, the National Adoption Register and the RBKC and London Kids’ websites. Where it is considered that a placement of the child with overseas adopters would be appropriate, see Section 15, Adoptive Placements Abroad.
	13.	Where external recruitment has been identified as appropriate at the Family Finding Planning Meeting, the family finder will undertake the following: Check that either the parents and/or the Designated Manager (Adoption Support) have signed the Consent to Publicity Form Ask the child’s social worker to arrange for professional photographs to be taken of the child for publicity purposes (the recruitment officer in FPU can provide the name of a suitable photographer who will come to the office if necessary) Meet the child’s social worker to confirm which publications are to be used for publicity purposes, and draw up suitable profiles
	14.	Other members of the adoption team should be made aware of the dates of the publicity and a response to callers should be agreed.
	15.	Responses from families not yet approved should be dealt with as follows: Take details of the family Give 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, for example BAAF and Adoption UK If the family is considered suitable, their details should be placed on the family finding file, for further consideration alongside other families.
	16.	Responses from already approved families should be dealt with as follows: Take details of the family and complete a referral form Give 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 families 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 link worker should be taken. The family should be asked to inform their link worker of their approach to the borough and that the family finder will contact the link worker The family finder will contact the families link worker and information shared about the child and the family. Where it is considered that the match is not appropriate, the link worker will 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 link worker and the family finder will agree to exchange the families Prospective Adopter's Report/Form F and the Child’s Permanence Report, with a follow up discussion after the Forms have been read. The link 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.
	17.	The procedure outlined in paragraphs 6 to 10 above will then be followed.
	18.	The child’s social worker and the family finder should prepare the Adoption Placement Report using the BAAF APR available on the intranet, giving: the agencies reasons for proposing the placement, views of the prospective adopter on the proposed placement arrangements proposed by the agency for contact details of the child’s needs, details of the families considered, evaluating how each may or may not meet the child’s needs and identifying the family considered the most suitable, together with reasons. Any other relevant information The Adoption Support Plan should accompany this report and cover contact, health and education needs of the child and support needs for the family - see paragraph 22.
	19.	The child’s social worker, family finder, the prospective adopters’ link worker and their respective managers should sign the Adoption Placement Report.
	20.	The adoption agency must notify the prospective adopter that the proposed placement is to be referred to the Adoption and Permanency Panel and provide a copy of the Adoption Placement Report and Adoption Support Plan and invite him/her to send any observations in writing to the agency within 10 working days beginning with the date on which the notification is sent.
	21.	The family finder should also contact the Panel Business Support Officer to arrange a date for the Adoption and Permanency Panel to consider the matching.
	22.	The child’s social worker should prepare, in conjunction with the family finder and the prospective adopters’ social worker, an Adoption Support Plan setting out the proposed adoption services to be offered to the child, adoptive family and birth parents. This is usually agreed at an adoption support plan meeting, which is chaired by the Adoption Support Services Adviser (ASSA). The prospective adopters, their social worker, the family finder and the child's social worker and an adoption support social worker should be invited to the meeting. See Adoption Support Services Procedure.
	23.	The child’s social worker will keep the parents and child informed of progress (unless the child has been freed for adoption or there is a Placement Order and the parent has made a Declaration that he or she does not wish to be kept informed).
	24.	Where appropriate, arrangements should be made for the Medical Adviser to speak to the adopters prior to the placement to discuss the child's medical needs.

11. Matching a Child with Adoptive Parents

The overall time-scale for matching a child with a prospective adoptive family is: Where a child is six months or more, match to be recommended by the Adoption and Permanency Panel within 6 months of the agencies formal approval of the adoption plan, Where parents request adoption for a child of less that six months of age, match to be recommended by the Adoption and Permanency Panel within 3 months of the agencies formal approval of the adoption plan.
	1.	Presentation to the Adoption and Permanency Panel: The child’s social worker must present the following reports to the Panel: A front sheet stating what is being reported, the reports included, recommendations sought and who will be attending Panel The Child’s Permanence Report (with an addendum to update the report if necessary) The Panel minute recommending that the child should be placed for adoption The Prospective Adopter's Report/BAAF Form F on the identified prospective adopters The Panel minute recommending approval of the prospective adopters The Adoption Placement Report, including information on the prospective adoptive families considered and which family appears to best meet the child’s checklist of needs. This should include any preference as to choice of adoptive family expressed by the parents. The assessment of the needs for adoption support services and the proposed Adoption Support Plan, including the Prospective Adopters' views The proposals regarding post-adoption contact The views of the adopters on the proposed contact The views of the Children’s guardian, if known
	2.	The child’s social worker will send the relevant reports to the Panel Business Support Officer at least 21 working days before the date of the Adoption and Permanency Panel.
	3.	Unless the Child’s Permanence Report and the prospective adopter report are being presented at the same time, the Panel Business Support Officer will arrange for the Panel minutes in relation to the approvals of the adoption plan and the prospective adopters to be circulated to Panel members, with the reports.
	4.	The child’s social worker, the prospective adoptive family, the family finder and the prospective adopters’ link worker will attend the Adoption and Permanency Panel during consideration of the matter.
	5.	The Panel must consider and may give advice about the following: Proposals for adoption support services Proposals for contact with the child Whether the parental responsibility of any parent or guardian or the prospective adopter should be restricted and, if so, the extent of any such restriction The Panel may make a recommendation to the agency that a child should be placed with a specific prospective adopter at the same meeting that a recommendation is made that the child should be placed for adoption (permanence decision for adoption and match) or the child already has a permanence decision for adoption and the decision to place with a specific adopter can be made at the same meeting of the Panel that recommends that the prospective adopter is suitable to adopt a child (approval of prospective adopter and match)
	6.	The recommendation and any advice given by the Panel will be recorded in writing, together with reasons, in the Panels minutes. A copy of the relevant minute must be held on the child’s Adoption Case Record.
	7.	The child’s social worker will convey the Panels recommendation and advice orally to the child and the parents within 48 hours.
	8.	The chair of the Adoption and permanency Panel will convey the Panels recommendations orally to the prospective adopters immediately after the Panel discussion.
	9.	After the Adoption and Permanency Panel After the Adoption and Permanency Panel has considered the reports and made a written recommendation and given advice on contact, adoption support and the exercise of parental responsibility, this will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker(Adoption) who will make a decision based on the Panels recommendation as soon as possible, but within 5 working days.
	10.	The child’s social worker will convey the decision orally to the child (depending on age and understanding) and the parents within 48 hours.
	11.	The prospective adopters’ link worker will convey the decision orally to the prospective adopters within 48 hours.
	12.	The child’s social worker will send written notice of the decision to the child (depending on age and understanding) and the Agency Decision Maker(Adoption) will sent written notice to the parents and the prospective adopters within 5 working days. If the social worker is unable to contact the parents, he or she should deliver the written notification to the parents’ last known address and record this on the child’s file and Adoption Case Record.
	13.	The Agency Decision Maker will ask the prospective adopters to confirm in writing that they agree to the proposed placement.
	14.	The Panel Business Support Officer will send a copy of the written notification, signed by the Agency Decision Maker(Adoption), to the prospective adopters’ link worker and the matching certificate for sending to the adopters within 7 working days.

12. Planning the Placement

1.	Once the matching has been approved, where the prospective adoptive family is from a different agency, the Adoption team manager will convene and chair an Inter Agency Meeting and complete BAAF Form H1 detailing the contract between the agencies and the adoptive family in relation to the placement. The team manager for the child should be present to agree expenditure. A copy of H1 must be placed on the Adoption File and in the Administrators inter-agency file in FPU. This meeting may take place at the same time as the placement planning meeting.
2.	In all cases (whether the prospective adopters have been approved in-house or by another agency), the family finding social worker will convene a Placement Planning Meeting for the purpose of confirming the details of the Adoption Placement Plan - covering the introductions, placement and future work - to be recorded on BAAF Form H2/Adoption Placement Plan and propose a draft introductions plan to be circulated to all parties beforehand. The family finder social worker will pre-prepare the factual information on H2/Placement Plan. A manager or senior practitioner from the Adoption Service will chair the meeting.
3.	The child’s social worker and prospective adopters’ link worker should liaise to ensure that the Chair of the meeting is sent the following 7 days before the meeting: The Child’s Permanence Report, plus the relevant Panel minute The Prospective Adopter's Report, plus the relevant Panel minute The Adoption Placement Plan, plus the relevant Panel minute Any other relevant reports
4.	The Family Finding Social Worker will arrange for the prospective adopters to meet the child's current carers before the placement planning meeting.
5.	Those attending Placement Planning Meetings will be the child’s social worker, his/her manager as appropriate, the foster carers, the foster carers’ supervising social worker, the family finding social worker, representatives of the health trust (where appropriate), the prospective adopters and their link worker, and any other worker engaged in direct work with the child.
6.	The child’s social worker must ascertain the child’s views and report these to the meeting.
7.	The purpose of the planning meeting is to draw up an Adoption Placement Plan, including an introductions plan setting out the steps required leading up to the child’s placement with the prospective adopters. Matters to be discussed are 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) and, where appropriate, a meeting between the parents and the prospective adopters. 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 and a longer period prior to the final move. The prospective adopters should be asked whether they would be prepared to meet with the birth family and this arranged if both parties wish it to go ahead. The meeting should include the families link social worker and the child’s social worker.
8.	The Introductions Plan will also address when the prospective adopters will be supplied with all relevant written information about the child, the form this will take (for example the inclusion of a ‘Later Life letter) and who will provide it (for a full list of information to be supplied – see Section 13, The Placement ).
9.	The Placement Planning Meetings should identify one person (normally the family finding social worker from the Adoption and Permanency Team) with responsibility for coordinating the introductions plan but 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. The workers involved are expected to be in regular and frequent contact with the child, foster carer and prospective adopter during the period of the introductions and share information with each other also on a regular basis, at the frequency identified at the Placement Planning Meetings.
10.	The child’s social worker will advise the parents of the plan whilst maintaining the confidentiality of the placement (unless the child has been freed for adoption and the parent has made a Declaration that he or she does not wish to be kept informed.)
11.	At a minimum there should be a mid-way Placement Planning Review Meeting or telephone conference to consider the following: The progress of the Introductions Plan – 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
12.	The Adoption Placement Plan should include who will be present when the placement takes place, the Adoption Support Plan, the arrangements for the supervision of the placement and any post-placement contact between the child and members of his or her birth family and/or the child and the foster carers, and clarify who will make the necessary notifications of the placement (see Section 13, The Placement).
13.	Where the child is to be adopted by his or her foster carers, there will be no need for a plan for introductions but the social worker should still convene a Placement Planning Meeting, in order to draw up an Adoption Placement Plan to cover the areas as set out above and to specify the date when the placement is to be regarded as an adoptive placement; this is to be confirmed in writing. At this stage any adoption allowance payments are transferred from the Locality Placement Budget to the Adoption Allowance Budget
14.	The social worker must advise the adopters not to change the child’s name under any circumstances prior to the adoption order. In any case where there are exceptional circumstances and it may be appropriate for a change of name, this can only be initiated by the child’s social worker and the Change of Name Procedure must be followed. See Change of Name of a Looked After Child Procedure.
15.	The prospective adopters and the child’s social worker should sign the Adoption Placement Plan (H2/Placement Plan) and copies should be distributed to them and the prospective adopters’ link worker. A copy must be retained on the child’s adoption case record. A copy of the financial agreement when the placement is a contract with another agency (H1) should be given to the Adoption Business Support Officer to be kept in the Adoption Fees file and one copy kept on the Adoption file for the adopter or child. The fee involved is a national agreement reviewed annually by BAAF - details are with the Adoption Team Manager. The fee is paid by the Locality parenting budget. Prior Locality manager agreement must be obtained and recorded.
16.	Where contact is part of the adoption plan, the proposals must be drawn up in a written agreement to be signed by the birth parents and the prospective adoptive parents prior to the placement. The agreement must specify the form and timing of the contact and the arrangements for putting the contact in place. The agreement must also specify that the arrangements may change dependent upon the wishes of the child. All parties must sign and retain a copy of the agreement.
17.	If the Adoption Placement Plan is amended or terminated, the child/parents must also be informed (unless the child has been freed for adoption and the parent has made a Declaration that he or she does not wish to be kept informed.)
18.	If the Adoption Placement Plan is terminated, the manager of the Adoption Service should consider the best way to conduct a disruption meeting – see Ending (Disruption) of Adoptive Placement Procedure.
19.	In this event, the child’s social worker must re-start the process of identifying a suitable prospective adoptive family (depending on the outcome of the Disruption Meeting) or review the plan by reconvening a Looked After Review for the child.
20.	Where another Agency has made the decision that a child should be placed for adoption with an adopter approved by RBKC then a child’s adoption case record should be opened in RBKC and any documents and information received from the child’s agency be placed in it.
21.	Where a Looked After child in RBKC is placed with an adopter from another agency then RBKC should open an adopters case record and place in it information received from the adopters agency.

13. The Placement

1.	The placement can only proceed subject to the following: if the agency is authorised to place the child for adoption with consent under Section 19 of the Act or with a Placement Order under section 22 of the Act. Or where the child is less than six weeks old, the agency has obtained a Placement Order or the parent or guardian has agreed in writing that the child may be placed for adoption. For this purpose the agency should use the agreement Form, Annex B. Once the authority to place has been obtained, the matching of the child has been approved, the plan of introductions of the child to the adoptive family successfully completed, the Adoption Placement Plan drawn up and the prospective adopters have confirmed in writing their wish for the placement to proceed, the placement can go ahead. A social worker must be present when the placement takes place.
2.	Prior to the placement, the child’s social worker must ensure that all the following written information about the child has been provided to the adopters, with a copy to the child (depending on the child’s age and understanding). The information below is mostly currently contained in BAAF Form H2 but will eventually be incorporated into Part 2 of the Placement Plan: The Child’s Permanence Report on the child (updated in last 6 months) Description (possibly with genogram) of the family of origin and the household Medical information including birth details (time, place, weight, term, type of delivery, with Forms M/B), Form IHA-C (if child 9 or under) or Form IHA-YP (if child 10 or older) and any medical reports on the child Authority to consent to medical and dental treatment, where necessary The child’s ‘Red Book’ and NHS Card A ‘Later in Life’ letter from the birth parent A ‘Later in Life Letter’ from the social worker The child’s passport (if applicable) The child’s birth certificate, 2 copies Copy of Care Order if relevant Carers’ report including the child’s daily routine, likes and dislikes, advice on behaviour management and factors indicating distress Health report (prepared for Adoption and Permanency Panel) Current school reports and PEP Any letters, photographs or mementos from the birth family, and the Life Story Book The child’s profile for home-finding Details of siblings and the reasons for any decisions made to place the child separately A written plan of the contact arrangements pre and post adoption with the birth parents and any previous carers A Statement of Particulars of financial support where applicable A Leaflet on Benefits and Tax (if applicable) The Adoption Support Plan, including a named post-adoption social worker The Adoption Placement Plan including arrangements for support and visits by the child’s social worker and their own social worker. The child and prospective adopter should be visited within one week of placement and thereafter at least once a week until the first review. Thereafter at such frequency as the agency decides at each review. Confirmation of any agreement to pay the adopters’ legal expenses Any other relevant information, including specialist reports (subject to the authors consent) The prospective adopters should be asked to sign confirmation of receipt. Where the information is provided at different times, the prospective adopters must sign and date confirmation of receipt on each occasion.
3.	Also, prior to the placement, the Administrative Officer for the child’s social worker must notify the present and new GP, the local social services authority (where the adoptive family live outside the authority), the relevant Health Trust and, if the child is at nursery or of school age, the relevant local education authority. This is to include information about educational history and whether child has been or is likely to be assessed for special educational needs under the Education Act 1996. This notification is still required prior to the adoptive placement where the prospective adopters were previously the child’s foster carers. All notifications must be designated STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
4.	The Medical Adviser should be requested to send a medical report on the child to the child’s new GP and the adopters.
5.	Where the child’s foster carers are the prospective adopters, the foster carers’ social worker must confirm in writing to the prospective adopters the date from which the placement is to be regarded as an adoptive placement or, where the foster carers are from a different agency, confirmation must be given by a manager from the adoption service.
6.	The child’s social worker must inform the parents of the date of the placement including where a Placement Order has been obtained unless the parents made a declaration that they did not wish to be kept informed. No identifying information about the placement should be conveyed to birth parents or relatives.
7.	The child’s social worker should ensure that the computer record system does not show the placement address but identifies that the child is placed for adoption.
8.	The child’s social worker will inform the Panel Business Support Officer of the date of the placement as soon as it is made.
9.	In the event of disruption after placement where the child is returned to the adoption agency in accordance with section 35(1) or (2) of the Act, the agency must conduct a review of the child’s case no earlier than 28 days and no later than 42 days after the date on which the child is returned to the agency. When carrying out that review the agency must consider the following ; whether the adoption agency remains satisfied that the child should be placed for adoption the child’s needs, welfare and development and whether any changes need to be made existing arrangements for contact, whether they should continue or be altered in consultation with appropriate agencies, the arrangements for assessing and meeting the child’s health care and educational needs. See Ending (Disruption) of Adoptive Placement Procedure.

14. Children Approved for Adoption for whom no Placement has been Identified

1. Each individual child will be the subject of regular family finding meetings - See Section 10, Identification of Adoptive Parents.
2. Where a child has been approved for adoption but not placed the agency must carry out a review of the child’s case not more than three months after the agency first had authority to place the child (i.e. through a Placement Order or Parental Consent) and thereafter not more than 6 months after the first review until the child is placed for adoption. After 12 months, the child’s social worker must present a further report to the Adoption and Permanency 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.
3. The Adoption and Permanency Panel may request an earlier progress report on an individual case when first considering the child.
4. The Panel also receives quarterly updates from the Adoption Services manager in relation to all children approved for adoption and long-term fostering.
5. Where a child has been freed for adoption and the parents did not make a Declaration at the time of the Freeing Order, the child’s social worker must inform the former parents of the child within 14 days of the first anniversary of the Freeing Order whether an Adoption Order has been made and, if not, whether the child has been placed for adoption. If the child has not been placed for adoption by this date, the parents have the right to apply to revoke the freeing order and must be advised of this right.

15. 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 and Skills (DfE) for a suitable matching to be identified - see below.

In either circumstance, the case must be referred to the Adoption and Permanency Panel in accordance with the usual procedure, seeking a formal recommendation that adoption outside the UK is in the best interests of the child.

Where the Adoption and Permanency Panel recommends that placement abroad should be pursued, they may also advise that a Placement Order be applied for in relation to the child (if not already made).

The Agency Decision Maker(Adoption) must consider the recommendations and decide whether placement abroad should be pursued and if so, that a Placement Order application should be made.

Where a decision is made to pursue this option, the child’s social worker should consult with Legal Services in order to prepare the Placement Order application.

Where no Prospective Adopters have been identified

Where a decision is made to pursue an adoptive placement outside the UK, the child’s social worker must notify the DCFS of the following:

1. The child’s file reference number
2. The child’s name
3. The child’s date of birth
4. The gender of the child
5. The reasons why the decision has been made that adoption outside the UK may be suitable for the child
6. The date of the Placement Order

The DCFS 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 inter country 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 DCFS 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 requirements of the UK law, and if so, consider whether there are children of the age and gender 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 DCFS 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 DCFS.

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

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

The child’s social worker must notify the DCFS of the decision made and explain the decision in an appropriate manner to the child.

Where the decision is to proceed with the matching, the child’s social worker must send the Child’s Permanence Report, together with the Placement Order or confirmation that the child’s parent or guardian consents to the adoption and a recent photograph of the child, to the DCFS 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 placement procedures - see Section 10, Identification of Adoptive Parents and Section 11, Matching a Child With Adoptive Parents - 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 Review confirms that the placement meets the child’s needs, the child’s social worker must inform the DCFS, 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 DCFS will enter the necessary agreement with the overseas authority in the receiving state. The agency may only proceed with the placement for an adoption under the Convention if it receives notification that an agreement under Article 17© of the Convention has been made. Annex C in DCFS Guidance (on DCFS web site) provides further information about Article 17© agreements . Failure to comply with the Convention may mean that the prospective adopter is unable to obtain a Convention adoption.

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) or an 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).

If the agency decides that the proposed placement outside the British Islands is not to proceed, the Adoptions with a Foreign Element Regulations requires the agency to return any reports and information received to the DCFS.

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

Where Prospective Adopters have been identified

It will be for the adoption service 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 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 an Order from the High Court granting them parental responsibility to take the child outside the UK for the purposes of adoption.

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

Appendix 1: Checklist for Locality Social Workers Working with Birth Parents

Click here to view Checklist for Locality Social Workers Working with Birth Parents

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