TACT Response to Prime Minister David Cameron’s plans to increase adoptions and cut delays.
The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT) welcomes new plans to increase adoptions but is concerned that the continuous focus on adoption excludes the overwhelming majority of children in care.
“Adoption can be a wonderful and transformative experience for children but it is not suitable or available for the overwhelming majority of children who come into care.” Says Andy Elvin, CEO of fostering and adoption charity The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT).
The latest DFE statistics show that 75% of children in care are in foster placements and 5% are in adoptive placements. Despite this the PM and the Children’s Minister continue to focus on adoption to the exclusion of other, equally valid, permanency options.” He adds.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464756/SFR34_2015_Text.pdf
TACT call on the Government to focus equally on all forms of permanence. TACT have asked for:
- A national post permanency support fund available to those supporting a permanent placement eg., foster carers, adopters, special guardians and extended family members.
- Local authorities to be required to set up permanency teams that cover foster care, adoption and SGO placements. These teams will assess potential foster carers, adopters and extended family members to care for vulnerable children. These teams will also offer high quality post placement support which will be available as a right.
- The Government should bring into England and Wales the Permanency order available in Scotland that legally recognises that long term foster care is a valid and excellent permanency option for many children in care that should be valued, protected and supported http://www.murraystable.com/news-articles/articles/handy-guide-to-permanence-orders
- The extension of Staying Put to all children in care.
- Focus on children subject to multiple placement moves and bring in a requirement that any case of a child who has more than 3 placements must be notified to OFSTED and a formal case review be held to ensure that the right placement is identified and resourced. Multiple placements are toxic to children and lead to poor outcomes.