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This story published May 23, 2002

The Plan for the Child Adoption or long-term fostering
Nigel Lowe and Mervyn Murch with Kay Bader, Margaret Borkowski. Rosalie Copner, Cathy Lisles and Jenny Shearman

What factors determine the local authority decision to pursue either adoption or long-term fostering for those looked after children who cannot return to their birth family? And what measures have local authorities introduced to identify and combat detrimental delay?

At a time of unprecedented interest in adoption and the Government's intention to maximise adoption for looked after children, this research evaluates practice in six representative local authorities in England and Wales. The first of its kind, this study was commissioned by the Department of Health to inform the Government's Quality Protects initiative and conducted by a multi-disciplinary team at Cardiff Law School.

Contents include:

  • Background to the research and methodology;
  • Profile of the sample children: characteristics, the plan for the child;
  • Factors affecting long-term planning: child- and family-related and organisational factors;
  • The length of the process: rehabilitation, comparisons between adoption and long-term fostering, problems of multiple placements;
  • Additional findings: local authority responses to the Quality Protects programme; policy problems, record-keeping and the Director's views and involvement;
  • Conclusions and recommendations.

    The authors address issues that have critical implications for policy and practice. Should there be a national co-ordination of child placement policy? What can be done at central government level and what is more appropriately delegated to local government? What should inform decision-making in determining placement choice? They include observations about the right placement choice for the child; the variation in policy and practice; communications; record keeping; staffing and resources, and social workers' experience and understanding.

    Recent measures by the Government - Adoption Standards for England, the proposed new Adoption and Children Bill for England and Wales, and the recently proposed review of fostering services - will go some way towards addressing some of these issues but will they be far reaching enough? This important study issues some clear messages for central and local government and should be read by all those concerned with making the best placements for children in need.

    The A5 book, over 200 pages, is available from BAAF for £9.95 + £2.50 p&p

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