The South East is supporting the development of an online offer of self-guided learning which is being developed through an interactive support tool by Adoption England which aims to increase the skill and confidence of social work practitioners relating to adoption.
Whilst the project is being launched across England, in the South East there will be specific design and launch sessions to increase take up and relevance to the South East context, The online tool is designed to assist with permanence planning for children in care.
The tool will help practitioners evaluate long-term care options by placing the child’s lifelong needs at the centre of decision-making. It will offer detailed guidance on adoption, with a focus on key areas such as the importance of thoroughly developed Staying in Touch/contact plans, a child’s cultural heritage, and other relevant considerations. The inclusion of lived experience will help social workers understand why these factors matter when planning long-term permanence outcomes for children. The overarching goal is to promote consistent, informed, and child-centered decisions throughout the permanency planning process, specifically
pertaining to adoption.