CYP Now - Resources: Review - Permanency in the early years

This book provides a timely reminder of the importance of attachment for babies and young children and the complex decisions that social workers have to make on a daily basis. Sadly, it identifies that there is still some way to go before evidence-based practice is used on a regular basis and that we remain good at obtaining information through assessment but are limited in interpreting it or being able to predict potential futures for children in care.

The book takes the reader on a journey punctuated with real caseexamples and reaches a number of key findings. I was particularly struckby the time difference in the final placement of a child and finalorder. We clearly need to use the former to measure how long it takes toachieve permanency.

It also recognises the complex job of foster carers, though some of itsconclusions do not consider the independent sector and what this hasachieved in developing professional care with appropriate support.

It will be interesting to see if special guardianship may be an orderused to secure permanency faster and create the potential for otherforms of care than adoption to offer security and attachment.

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