3.9.6 Supervision of Adoptive Placements

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter relates to the Supervision of Adoptive Placements.
Caption: the Supervision of Adoptive Placements
   
1. Arrangements for and frequency of visits for supervising the placement must be made at Placement Planning Meetings and set out in the Adoption Placement Plan - see Placement for Adoption Procedure, Planning the Placement.

A placement is more likely to disrupt during the first few weeks. Visits to the child and prospective adopters should take place as follows:

  • The child's adoption social worker visiting the child within the first week of the placement. The child's adoption social worker and the adopters' supervising social worker will state at the Adoption Planning Meeting which of them is to visit to ensure visits each week until the first review;
  • Thereafter, the frequency of visits by the child's adoption social worker will be determined at the child's Adoption Review or, if not specified, a minimum of every six weeks for the first year and after this, on a three-monthly basis.
2. Where there are any concerns, additional visits should be arranged.
3. The prospective adopters' supervising social worker will also carry out visits at intervals agreed in the Adoption Placement Plan and at subsequent Reviews - and more frequently if circumstances require. The visits should continue until an Adoption Order has been made or until the placement is terminated.
4. Visits must be made by suitably experienced qualified social workers or social workers/student social workers who are supervised by suitably qualified and experienced social workers - see Section 5, Adoption Panel Minutes of Adoption Panel Procedure. The purpose of the support and supervision is to ensure that the child's welfare is being promoted and safeguarded. The prospective adopters should be encouraged to take on responsibility for parenting the child, having regard to the Delegation of Parental responsibility as set out by the agency, whilst keeping the child's social worker and their own social worker informed of the child's progress. This is also the opportunity to test out the Adoption Support Plan, offer advice to the prospective adopters on the management of the child's behaviour and ensure the prospective adopters are equipped to meet the child's needs.
5. Records of all visits must be made and recorded on the child's Adoption Case Record electronic record. Between visits, the social workers involved must discuss progress in the placement and read each other's recording of visits during the monitoring period. The Assessment and Progress Record should continue to be used after placement and until an Adoption Order is made.
6. 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. Any concerns of a child protection nature must follow the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures, Safeguarding Referrals Procedure.
7. The child should be seen alone (unless s/he is of sufficient age and understanding and refuses) at all of the visits, whether undertaken by the child's adoption social worker or the adopters' supervising social worker, and his or her wishes and feelings recorded. Babies and young infants do not have to be seen alone; however, observations of the interaction between the adoptive parent and the child should be noted and recorded.
8. The child's adoption social worker will arrange for the child to continue to have health 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 Children in Care. The child's most recent medical must have been conducted no more than 6 months previous to the lodging of an adoption application with the court.
9. The procedures to be followed where a placement disrupts are set out in the Disruption of Placement Procedure.
10. Visits to the child and adopters after the Adoption Order will be made as and when required under the Adoption Support Plan or at the request of the adopters by a referral to the Adoption Helpline- see Adoption Support Procedure.