Agenda item

Permanency planning had focused on securing long-term, stable living arrangements for children, aiming to reduce disruptions and promote emotional security. The process considered each child’s social, emotional, educational, health, cultural, and identity needs.

Three key dimensions of permanence were addressed:

• Legal permanence through arrangements such as reunification with birth parents, adoption, or legal orders like Special Guardianship.
• Physical permanence by ensuring stability in home and community environments.
• Psychological permanence through secure attachments and a sense of belonging.

Haringey had prioritised early permanency planning, engaging practitioners and managers in continuous discussions about suitable long-term options for children entering care. This approach aligned with best practice and legal expectations under the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and the Children Act 1989. Courts were required to assess the impact of harm, current and future needs, and the adequacy of long-term care plans. Social workers applied principles from the Re B-S judgment, ensuring thorough analysis and evidence in care recommendations.

During the 2023 Ofsted inspection, Haringey was praised for its creative and committed social workers and improved adoption matching for younger children. The borough moved from “Requires Improvement” to “Good” overall, though permanency planning was identified as an area needing further embedding.

Following the inspection, Haringey strengthened its permanency processes through:

• Monthly Permanency Panels, chaired by senior managers, to monitor progress.
• Eight-weekly Permanency Planning Meetings within teams, focusing on children yet to achieve permanency.

These meetings evaluated long-term stability and explored all viable options, including parallel planning—where rehabilitation with birth parents was pursued alongside preparation for alternatives like kinship care or adoption.

The main routes to permanency included:

• Return to parents
• Special Guardianship
• Placement with connected carers
• Long-term foster care
• Adoption

-       A member had expressed interest in learning more about the role of the Court Progression Officer, describing it as a particularly engaging topic. It was explained that Haringey had benefited from appointing a Service Manager for Court Service Assurance and Progression, especially given recent developments within the court system. A former court manager, who had spent time working as a principal social worker in another local authority, had returned to Haringey in this enhanced role. Their experience and leadership had helped strengthen relationships with the courts and with Cafcass, ensuring that the quality of work remained consistently high. The team had also recently met with their legal colleagues and the link judge to reinforce these collaborative efforts

-       Stakeholder involvement was actively encouraged. Birth parents, Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs), and Adopt London North (ALN) all contributed to planning and tracking progress. Leadership and oversight were reinforced by appointing a Service Manager for Court Service Assurance and Progression, who tracked cases from the Public Law Outline stage to permanency. Team Managers led regular planning meetings, while Service Managers reported progress at the monthly panel, co-chaired by the Director of Children’s Safeguarding and Social Care and the Head of Service for Children in Care.

-       A question had been raised about the age range of children adopted in Haringey, specifically whether adoptions involved mostly babies or included older children as well. It was confirmed that both age groups had been represented. Over recent months, the borough had successfully secured adoption orders for several older children, including those with additional needs. While approximately two-thirds of adoptions involved younger children, older children had also been adopted successfully. One notable case involved a child aged eight who had been in care for five years prior to their adoption.

-       A question had been raised about the additional support provided to adoptive parents of older children, acknowledging that such adoptions could be more challenging from a parental perspective. It was explained that Haringey had a range of support offers in place, including access to the Adoption Support Fund. Locally, the service had placed strong emphasis on addressing the therapeutic needs of children in care, particularly those awaiting adoption, to ensure smooth transitions into adoptive families. The preparation work undertaken with children—especially older ones—had been described as of a very high standard, aimed at giving adoptive families the best possible chance of success

-       The report had been praised for its clarity and concise presentation. Members felt it effectively captured the progress and efforts made, describing it as a well-drafted and engaging account of the work undertaken. Appreciation was expressed to everyone involved, noting the discussion had been particularly interesting.

RESOLVED:

Recommendations

3.1. That Members noted contents of this report.

Reasons for decision

4.1. This report was for information only.

Alternative options considered

N/A