Temporary change in DfES advice
DfES advice about featuring children needing adoptive placements.
Adoption and Children Act (2002) England and Wales
The DfES has ‘relaxed’ its advice regarding ‘advertising’ children for adoption. This follows agencies expressing their concern to BAAF about delays for children. BAAF asked the DfES to consider this temporary variation in their advice and children on care orders where the local authority have yet to obtain a placement order.
The DfES are concerned about delays for children on care orders where the local authority have yet to obtain a placement order and are experiencing difficulties in placing adverts to attract adoptive families, because they could not satisfy the DfES criteria for placing adverts. Where authorities do not have authority to place a child for adoption, they may advertise the child provided the following apply:
- there is a care order in respect of the child which was obtained on the basis of a care plan which set out the plan for adoption
- the agency decision maker has endorsed the adoption panel's recommendation that the child should be placed for adoption
- the agency has notified the child's parents/guardian in writing of the decision maker's decision and of its intention to advertise the child for adoption
- the following are informed of the agency’s intention to advertise the child for adoption:
- the agency’s legal adviser
- in cases where court proceedings are ongoing, the child’s CAFCASS guardian.
The Be My Parent service must make clear in the published profile that the child/ren’s parents have been informed in writing of the agency’s intention to place for adoption, and that placement will be subject to obtaining parental consent or a placement/freeing order under the adoption legislation.
Please note: Some courts may prefer to be made aware of the intention to advertise the child for adoption where there is no authority to place the child for adoption. Legal advisers should be able to provide the agency with a view of the court’s likely expectations. Agencies will need to ensure that courts and advisers know of the intention to feature the child on the web service as well as in the paper.
(October 2006)
Last updated: 23 May 07
