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Contents

1. Concurrent Planning

1. Concurrent Planning

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 In this model young children are placed with foster carers who are also approved adopters who will care for the child whilst intensive work is undertaken with the birth family towards rehabilitation. If rehabilitation is not possible the carers will adopt the child. The benefits of this model are that young children will experience fewer moves and be placed with their permanent family more quickly so avoiding early attachment difficulties.

Referral Process

• The team will accept referrals in respect of children up to 3 years of age. Referrals will be accepted for sibling groups if there are appropriate carers available.
• The child must be either subject to care proceedings or care proceedings highly probable in the future (i.e. in respect to an unborn child). A concurrent placement would not be made unless the plan has been endorsed by the Adoption & Permanence Panel and the court
• The family history must indicate that adoption is a clear potential outcome for the child (e.g. there is a history of other children having been removed, serious concerns about a parent's mental health, drug and alcohol use, chaotic lifestyle or dangerous network  or the parent/s may have a significant learning disability)
• The possibility of an initial placement within the extended family has been explored and there are no suitable potential carers. (There may be options within the wider family and friends network that would still be assessed as potential permanent carers alongside the work with the birth parents whilst the child was placed with concurrent carers.)

 The following principles underpin the work of the team:

• Early permanence for the child. Prolonged periods in foster care can be detrimental to children. Developmentally, six to twelve months is the longest young children should live with uncertainty. Permanence will be achieved via family reunification, kinship care or adoption by concurrent carers
• Assessment of strengths and difficulties. The worker must identify the family's strengths and areas of difficulty. The central issue of concern must be identified so it is clear to everyone what has to change in order for the child to return home. The team will be involved in pre-birth assessment work with families where appropriate and clear agreements will be drawn up with families about the focus of the work, the expectations of the parents and the support that can be provided
• Intensive support and assessment. The team will work intensively with families to provide them the best opportunity of making the changes necessary for their child to return to their care within appropriate timescales. Many of the birth families that have children placed concurrently have significant difficulties. Rehabilitation work undertaken by the team includes the provision of appropriate practical support and advice, parenting skills, links with relevant community groups and other key professionals or agencies. A detailed plan of assessment and parenting skills work will be drawn up with the parents dependent on the individual circumstances. The community family workers within the team will take a lead role in providing the practical parenting skills and supporting the parents access appropriate community resources
• Two plans for the child. The child is placed with concurrent carers, who are approved as foster carers and adopters, whilst rehabilitation work is undertaken with the parents and other placement options within the wider family are explored (Plan A). The team actively seeks out and approaches other family members or friends, calling a family group conference where appropriate. Assessment work with family and friends carers is conducted alongside rehabilitation work with the birth parents to avoid delay in decision making about permanence for the child. If the plan to return the child home either to birth parents or the extended family fails, the child will be adopted by the concurrent carers (Plan B)
• Full disclosure. It is essential that birth parents and all other parties (i.e. concurrent carers and key relatives) be given full information about plans for the child and possible outcomes of the court process. Birth parents are given full details about the concurrency model and are encouraged to meet the carers before the child is placed. The team only works with families where the plan to place the child concurrently has been endorsed by the Court. Concurrent carers understand that the child is placed with them on a fostering basis and that the plan is to work actively with the birth parents to enable them to care safely for their child; however they are prepared to adopt the child if that plan is not achievable
• Behaviour not promises. A clear written agreement is drawn up with birth parents detailing the assessment work, plans for contact and what is expected of them. The emphasis is very much on parental behaviour rather than stated intentions or promises. The agreement provides support and a clear structure to families while keeping the focus on the child's urgent need for security and belonging. Concurrent planning seeks to deal directly with parents' ambivalence and indecision, not allowing that to paralyse case planning. It offers parents a road map to family reintegration

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