Family Finding Processes

Notifications and referrals to Team Manager

These will come from the Legal Gateway, Social Workers, IROs

Cases being tracked

  • Consideration regarding whether a Fostering for Adoption placement may be appropriate. Please see document outlining Fostering for Adoption processes
  • Liaison with the child/ren’s Social Worker and allocated worker from Connected People Team, if there are any friends and/or family assessments in process
  • Liaison with the allocated IRO will be required in relation to whether it is appropriate to attend the LAC Reviews at this stage
  • Establish if there have been any siblings previous adopted and if so, contact will need to be made in relation to whether these adopters would like to be considered for assessment
  • Establish whether BBV testing is required/been recommended and ascertain whether this has been progressed

Once adoption is a potential plan, active family finding progresses:

  • All relevant reports to be obtained including CPR and Medical
  • SHOBPA Family Finding Report completed
  • Visit to the child/ren’s foster carers to gain further information. Photographs will also need gained
  • Profiles – these need to be anonymousprior to Placement Order unless specific permission has been gained from the Court
  • Attendance at LAC Reviews, if appropriate
  • Regular liaison with the Social Worker and other involved professions including workers completing assessments on birth family
  • Following SHOBPA, referral made to Adoption Link-Maker(anonymous details) National Register and Adoption 22
  • Discussions and information provided at Children Waiting Meeting and potential links progress
  • Regular searches to be completed regarding Adoption Link and Adoption 22
  • If appropriate, child/ren to be discussed at Whole Agency Children Waiting Meeting. Once again, prior to Placement Order, details need to be anonymous and no photographs included.

Pre Placement Order:

  • Continuation of searches, both ‘in-house’ and inter-agency and discussions had with a potential link’s Supervising Social Worker
  • PARs sent to Social Worker and their Manager. If there is no response within 5 days this is escalated to Family Finding Team Manager and/or Deputy Head of Service
  • If potential family is an inter-agency placement, Family Finder arranges to visit the family with the social worker to provided more information and progress discussions
  • A Linking Meeting should be arranged for as soon as possible. If there are difficulties in relation to a Social Worker’s availability and this is causing delay, this needs to be escalated to Family Finding Team Manager and/or Deputy Head of Service
  • If the Pre-adoption Medical indicates that an appointment with the Medical Advisor is advised, an appointment should be progressed. The MedicalAdviser will want to know when the case is at Panel so potential dates will be calculated at this stage
  • A potential Panel Date for 5 weeks following Linking Meeting will be required. This will evidently need to be re-arranged if a Placement Order is not granted on the expected date
  • For Matches with in-house adopters, following the Linking Meeting the Supervising Social Worker from the Assessment Team will become the allocated Adoption SSW. However, the Family Finder should be aware of all progressions incase the match does not progress and further family finding is required
  • For Inter-agency matches, the allocated Family Finder will work with the family’sSSWin relation to matching paperwork, financial aspects such as Adoption Allowance, Settling in Grant and travel arrangements and costs. The Family Finder will also have an over-view in relation to visits with relevant professions i.e. school, medics etc and meeting with the foster carer
  • In addition to the above, the Family Finder will attend Panel and will arrange and attend the Placement Planning Meeting and the Review of Introduction Meeting
  • Following Panel, unless there is any outstanding work, the Family Finder will now end their involvement