The way Lincolnshire County Council’s adoption service is structured has helped drive improvements in performance, says service manager Tara Jones.
It includes supervising social workers who recruit, assess and deliver preparatory training to adopters; children’s adoption social workers who progress children’s plans for adoption; and a dedicated adoption support team.
Adoption is identified as an option at “the earliest possible stage” in the child protection process. “It is flagged up at the second review and we’re involved in legal planning meetings so our social workers can twin track at that very early stage,” says Jones.
“Our children’s social workers are responsible for writing the child permanence report, preparing the child for adoption and are involved in contact, so really get to know the child and family alongside the social worker who is undertaking care proceedings. A lot of our assessments are done up front before we even get to court so again that reduces delays.”
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