Quick recap

The meeting focused on preparations for an upcoming session about adoption services, including discussions about administrative matters and policies. Participants shared experiences and challenges related to adoption practices, particularly regarding younger children and sibling groups, as well as the complexities involved in transitions between fostering and adoption. The group explored ways to support foster carers and families during transitions, with agreement on developing specific training resources and continuing to share experiences across the sector.

Next steps

  • Member develop practice improvements for introductions and transitions between foster carers and adopters.
  • Member to share practice changes from Adoption Matters that may be relevant to Foster Care Matters.
  • Members develop support strategies for foster carers to help them give children "emotional permission" to move on to adoptive families.
  • Foster Care Matters and Adoption Matters: Utilise their Centre for Fostering and Adoption Support to provide seamless support through transitions.
  • Member create training resources for foster carers on supporting children transitioning to adoption.
  • Summarise identified gaps in fostering-to-adoption support for IFA agencies.
  • A member to share Adoption Matters' early permanence model with the group to help IFAs understand the process better.
  • A member investigates and reports back on the basis for the six-week timescale being used by some agencies for adoption transitions.
  • Members develop preparation training materials for foster carers on the intensive nature of supporting children moving to adoption.

Summary

Fostering and Adoption Collaboration

Catherine introduced a discussion on adoption principles and practices, highlighting the importance of fostering positive relationships between foster carers and adopters, focusing on the needs of children, and supporting them through transitions. A member shared their experience setting up Foster Care Matters with Adoption Matters and emphasised the need for adequate support for foster families

during the adoption process. The practice development manager at Adoption Matters, introduced herself and expressed interest in collaborating on improving introductions and transitions between fostering and adoption placements.

Fostering and Adoption Distinctions Clarified

The discussion focused on clarifying the relationship between Foster Care Matters and Adoption Matters, explaining that while the agencies collaborate on practice changes and share a center for fostering and adoption support, they do not specifically seek to place children in fostering arrangements with the intention of later adopting them. Catherine raised concerns about whether people still view fostering as a fast track to adoption, the member confirmed that their agency has clear processes to distinguish between fostering and adoption paths, including separate services for early permanence within Adoption Matters.

Shift in Young Child Adoptions

The discussion focused on changes in adoption practices, particularly regarding younger children. A member shared her experience working with two 8-month-old babies, one with a twin-track plan including adoption and one with a 3-year-old brother who could potentially be adopted or remain in long-term foster care with his sister. They noted a significant shift in the sector, with 70% of children now being younger compared to previous years when older children (7-8+) were more common in adoption cases. A member expressed concerns about the complexity of these cases, particularly around informed consent for the 7-year-old girl who doesn't yet understand the plan, and highlighted the need for practice development in handling these situations.

Adoption Process Challenges and Concerns

The group discussed challenges in adoption processes, particularly regarding younger children and sibling groups. A member shared experiences of foster carers feeling their views weren't considered during adoption placements, while another expressed concerns about agencies rushing adoption processes without proper assessment of potential adoptive parents' ability to meet children's needs. The discussion highlighted a lack of training and support for foster carers during transitions, and noted changes in the adoption landscape over the past 20 years, though the conversation ended before she could complete her thoughts on current trends.

Early Permanence Adoption Strategy

A member discussed the high adoption plan numbers, noting that Linkmaker is approaching 1,200 children. They questioned the recent mention of a six-week timescale for moving children from foster care to adoptive placements, expressing concern about its feasibility. They also explained the concept of early permanence, including fostering to adopt and concurrent planning, and mentioned an increase in prospective adopters willing to consider early permanence and younger children. Catherine inquired about foster carers' preparedness for the complexities of early permanence, including legal aspects and the potential for multiple placements.

Foster Parent Transition Support Strategies

Catherine and members discussed the challenges of preparing foster parents for situations where children may move on for adoption, particularly in parent and child placements. A member shared their experience of training foster parents about the emotional impact of children moving on and emphasised the importance of supporting both the foster families and the children through this process. A Fostering Adoption agency in Northern Ireland shared recent experiences with transitions, highlighting the complexities involved in unifying siblings and the challenges in managing relationships between different carers and adopters.

Foster Care and Adoption Transitions

The group discussed the challenges of supporting foster carers and families during transitions, particularly when children move to adoption. A member shared their experience of the emotional impact on families during these transitions, highlighting the need for better preparation and support. Catherine suggested having specialist expertise or leads for complex cases, while a member raised concerns about gaps in skills and training for staff handling adoption plans. Discussions re the importance of joint training for foster carers and adopters, as well as the need for ongoing support and understanding between the two groups. The group agreed on the value of developing specific training and support resources, including case studies and potential support groups for foster carers in niche areas.

Adoption Experience Sharing Discussion

The meeting focused on a discussion about adoption and foster care experiences, with participants reflecting on the importance of sharing personal experiences and learning from each other. Catherine encouraged further exploration of the topic and suggested capturing insights from members' experience with sibling adoption dynamics in a blog. The group agreed to continue facilitating sharing of experiences rather than creating formal training materials or support groups.