Making Inter Agency Adoptive Placements

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This procedure should be used in instances where the Adoption Panel has approved a match with adopters from another adoption agency - either a voluntary adoption agency or another local authority to which a fee is payable or a Consortium local authority.

1. Introduction

A fee will be payable for interagency adoptive placements with a voluntary adoption agency (VAA). This applies to the VAA members of the Yorkshire and Humberside Adoption Consortium as well as all other voluntary adoption agencies.

A fee will be payable for the use of adoptive placements from all local authorities outside of the Yorkshire and Humberside Adoption Consortium. A fee may be payable on occasions to a local authority within the Consortium.

2. Placement Planning Meeting

This should be chaired by the Team Manager, Adoption.

See Planning and Making an Adoptive Placement Procedure for further information.

Those attending the meeting should include:

  • Current foster carers;
  • Foster carers' link worker (if appropriate);
  • Proposed adopter(s);
  • The adopters' adoption worker;
  • The child's social worker;
  • The family finder;
  • Team Manager, Adoption (Chair);
  • Any other appropriate participants.

It is the responsibility of the child's social worker to arrange the meeting and issue invitations.

The CoramBAAF Forms H1 and H2 are completed at the meeting. It is helpful if the factual information which is available prior to the meeting is completed ahead of the meeting.

If the placement is being made with the Consortium agreement, this must be identified on the H1 form.

The Agreement for Interagency Fee (CoramBAAF Form H1) should have been prepared for signing prior to the meeting by the family finder.

This is signed by the Team Manager, Adoption on behalf of Calderdale MBC as the budget holder. It is countersigned by the relevant signatory from the VAA or local authority and returned to the Team Manager, Adoption.

3. After the Meeting

A requisition is completed by the family finder giving details of the placement i.e.

  • Name of agency;
  • Name/s of child(ren);
  • Amount of fee (including post adoption support).

and signed by that person as requesting the service. The Team Manager, Adoption must approve the expenditure.

This is then forwarded to Accounts.

Invoices for the fee are sent by the agency in instalments. The social worker should sign the 'goods received' and then forward to the Team Manager, Adoption as budget holder to approve for payment.

This is then forwarded to Accounts for payment.