Children and young people

Adoption allowances

The Adoption Agency is committed to making secure adoptive placements and has the power to make appropriate adoption allowances under the current legislation, when this can be shown to meet the needs of the child. The appropriateness of an adoption allowance will be considered alongside the appropriateness of adoption when the child is presented to the Adoption Panel. An adoption allowance will not be paid automatically and consideration will be given to the consequences or effects of paying a revisable allowance versus an initial lump sum. In some cases an initial agreement for a nil allowance will be the most valuable option, when it is anticipated that the child may develop additional special needs as they get older.

Adoption allowances are means tested but the child must meet the legal criteria.

During all the work with prospective adoptive parents, the issue of adoption allowances must be discussed with care so that applicants do not feel rejected or deprived of a right if an adoption allowance is not agreed.

The agreement for an adoption allowance must be obtained from the Adoption Panel before the Adoption Order is made by a court. It cannot be agreed after the Adoption Order has been made.

Building a new family

While Medway Council retains responsibility and duties towards the child, the focus should be upon the new family. It will be important for the child to have an opportunity to be seen alone, so that they can express their views without risk of constraint. This should not always be done by the social worker separating out the child from the parents on each visit, as this may be divisive and threatening. How this opportunity is to be achieved for the child must be discussed and planned with the new parents in a way which includes them in the process and removes a level of anxiety that could be transmitted to the child. The future security of the child can best be achieved by working with the new family as a whole and through the new parents rather than always opting for a one-to-one session with the child.

Existing birth children

When people who wish to adopt already have natural children, careful consideration must be given to the needs of all the children, not just the child to be adopted. In addition to considering the applicants' reasons for wishing to add to their family via adoption, the assessment will consider the applicants' ability to accept and understand the differing needs of the child placed for adoption. This is especially significant when there is only one natural child, as the applicants will have to cope with the differences between their own secure child who has had their full parental attention and a child who will have had a very different experience.

The child to be placed should not be close in age to other children of the family.

For second-time adopters, at least two years should elapse from placement of first child until a new application commences, unless a younger sibling is born and is in need of placement.

Inter-agency or consortium placement

A consortium or inter-agency placement will be sought when it is considered that a suitable adoptive family cannot be found for a child through the resources of the council's Adoption Agency. The needs of the child are the priority and any delays in finding a family increases the difficulties for the child and the future placement. When using a family from another agency, the responsibility for approving the match will remain with the Medway Adoption Panel.

Introductions

The management of an introduction period is not governed by set time scales and fixed programmes. There is an art to a good introduction period, with the age and understanding being the main guiding elements. The purpose of the introduction period is to enable the child to begin the process of detaching from their current carers and begin the attachment process to their new carers.

Without fail, the introduction period is tiring and stressful for the child, foster carers and the new adoptive family and rest days will be a feature of the programme. An important element will be the ability of all involved to agree adaptations to the programme in response to the progress and the response of the child. The most common pitfalls result when the needs of the adults dominate, in that the adopters wish to get on with their new family as soon as possible and the foster carers wish to get the pain or discomfort of the ending over as soon as possible. However, the introduction period is the foundation of the new family and patience and support are needed to help everyone with the process.

Matching meetings

Research and experience has demonstrated the importance of a systematic examination of the potential match and therefore, before a proposed match is presented to the Adoption Panel, a matching meeting must be held. The meeting will agree the priority of the child's identified needs, consider in detail the strengths and needs of each of the prospective adopters being considered and agree if there is a suitable match. The risk factors for the proposed placement will be identified, with a plan to provide the appropriate input to reduce the risks as much as possible. The process will be completed formally, even if there is only one adoptive home to be considered.

Race

Every effort must be made to place a child in a family of the same race and culture as the child. When considering a placement, the agency will take into account the child's racial origins, the child's cultural experiences and needs, the child's views about their racial identity (where appropriate) and the views of the birth parents.

However, a child must not be allowed to drift within the care system because a family of the same race as the child cannot be found. Therefore, if a child is matched with a family of a different race, every effort must be made to address the additional needs created by that situation.

Siblings

Wherever possible, siblings will be placed together. However, this does not preclude the need to make separate placements if it is considered the best way to meet the individual needs of each child. Decisions to separate siblings will not be solely based on the resources available and it may frequently be necessary to seek families through other agencies outside the Consortium to avoid a damaging wait for each of the children.

If siblings are placed separately, even at different times, they should at least have knowledge of each other and wherever it is in their best interests, some level of contact. People applying to adopt are expected to accept the importance of the sharing of information and the maintaining of contact, especially in the case of siblings.

Some children placed for adoption may have siblings who are adopted and adopters may need to accept the child's need for contact and the possible consequences for confidentiality.

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