Early Permanence
What is Early Permanence?
Early Permanence is a child centred practice which initially matches approved adopters as foster carers for children whose care plan is still being decided upon in the Courts.
Early Permanence or ‘EP’ is an umbrella term for a type of care planning which helps children to find safe and stable homes as quickly as possible. Fostering for Adoption and Concurrent Planning are types of Early Permanence.
Early Permanence can be used for children of all ages where there is a possibility of them needing a care plan of adoption. Early Permanence gives them the chance to live at an earlier point with the family who may become their adoptive family.
Once approved, adopters who are also open to Early Permanence can be considered for children whose care plans are still being determined by the courts. Following a matching process, they are temporarily approved as foster carers for the child until a final decision is made. If the Court orders the child’s return to their birth family, the Early Permanence carer will support the reunification. If the Court grants a placement order, the Early Permanence carers will then become prospective adopters, going on to formally apply to adopt the child.
This approach offers children greater stability from an early stage, minimising the number of moves they experience and reducing feelings of loss and uncertainty. It also allows children to form attachments as early as possible and safeguards them from multiple moves.
Hear from real families about their experiences with Early Permanence in the video below.
Support and Training for Early Permanence Carers
We will support you in exploring whether Early Permanence is right for you from the point you enquire with us. Early Permanence is covered in the adoption preparation training, and there is also an additional day’s training on Early Permanence. As part of the assessment process, your Social Worker will continue to explore with you whether this is the right route for you. They may also connect you with another Early Permanence carer to share their experiences.
If you go on to offer Early Permanence, you’ll be paid as a foster carer and may also receive adoption pay from your employer. Adoption leave begins when a child moves to live with you.
Early Permanence carers may need more support than traditional foster carers, due to the uncertainty they are managing. However, there will be both an Adoption Social Worker and a Fostering Social Worker offering support whilst the child is living with you under an Early Permanence arrangement.
Advantages and Challenges
Early Permanence means that a child’s time in care will either result in them being supported by their Early Permanence carers to return to their birth family, or in them remaining with carers they have developed an attachment to and who will go on to become their future adopters. This enables children to begin forming attachments as early as possible and safeguards them from multiple moves. In Early Permanence it is the carers taking on the emotional uncertainty on behalf of the child, so that the child does not have to.
Early Permanence carers will get to know the child’s birth family through family time sessions, giving them deeper insight into the child’s background and helping support their life story. Early Permanence carers will have a communication book for sharing information about the child with their birth parents.
This path is rewarding, but it comes with challenges. You’ll need emotional resilience, flexibility, and strong support around you.
Key things to consider:
- Health and development may be uncertain early on.
- You’ll support family time with the child’s birth family during court proceedings.
- Parental responsibility remains with others until an Adoption Order is granted.
- The court may decide that the best outcome for the child is to return to their birth family.
With the right support, Early Permanence gives you the chance to make a lasting difference at a crucial time in a child’s life. Adoption Cumbria along with fostering colleagues will work closely with you throughout the process and support you every step of the way!
Resources
If you’d like to learn more about the Early Permanence journey through those who have lived the experience, the YouCanAdopt podcasts explore this along with many other topics here: https://www.youcanadopt.co.uk/category/podcasts/
Alternatively, Adoption England have got a range of wonderful resources on Early Permanence for whichever step of the journey you are on: https://adoptionengland.co.uk/early-permanence-adoption-resources