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Contents

1.	Policy
2.	Introduction
3.	Procedure
	3.1	Initial Action
	3.2	Strategy Meeting
	3.3	Investigation and Action
	3.4	Concluding the Investigation

1. Policy

All children are entitled to the same level and standard of protection from harm including those receiving services from statutory or other agencies.  For this reason, enquiries and investigations relating to children in receipt of such services must be dealt with under the principles, policies and procedures laid down by the Wakefield Safeguarding Children Board and the West Yorkshire Consortium's Safeguarding Children Procedures or, in relation to children placed outside West Yorkshire, in accordance with the principles, policies and procedures of the relevant Local Safeguarding Children Board.

Allegations or suspicions that a prospective adopter has caused Significant Harm or that a child placed for adoption or already adopted and in receipt of adoption support services has suffered Significant Harm will be investigated thoroughly, speedily and sensitively under those procedures and will involve open and honest communication with, and support to all those affected.

Historical allegations by children placed for adoption or already adopted and in receipt of adoption support services should be responded to in the same way as contemporary concerns.  It will be important to ascertain if the person about whom the allegation is made is currently working with children and if that is the case, to consider whether the current employer should be informed.

Clear timescales will be integral to the procedure and those involved must avoid delay unless there is good reason.  There will be clarity regarding access to reports and documents relating to the investigation.

Where allegations are made in relation to prospective adopters, the welfare and safety of all children in the prospective adopters' household, and children with whom the prospective adopters may have contact, must also be considered during any Section 47 Enquiry.

In relation to any allegations made, it is important to note that, although there may be insufficient evidence to support a Police prosecution, this does not mean that action cannot be taken to protect a child nor, for example, that the termination of a prospective adopter's approval cannot be considered.

The welfare and safety of all children in the prospective adopters’ household, and children with whom the prospective adopters may have contact, must also be considered during any Section 47 Enquiry.

Relevant West Yorkshire Consortium Interagency Safeguarding Procedures Section 47 Enquiries and Core Assessments Procedure

2. Introduction

The expectation is that:

1. At the time of a child’s placement, prospective adopters will be provided with detailed information as to the child’s background and in particular the context of any abusive experiences of and/or previous allegations made by the child - see Placement for Adoption Procedure.
2. All prospective adopters will receive preparation and guidance to help them provide a safe environment for the child and all members of the adoptive family.
3. All prospective adopters will have received access to this procedure and the West Yorkshire Consortium's Safeguarding Children Procedures, in particular, Allegations Against Persons who Work with Children Procedure.

In addition, in relation to the Adoption Service, it is an expectation of the Adoption National Minimum Standards 2011 that:

• A senior manager within the Adoption Service is identified to be the designated allegations manager who liaises with the LADO in all cases to which this procedure applies and manages the allegations process.
• All staff within the Adoption Service are aware of the requirements of this procedure.

3. Procedure

This procedure should be implemented in conjunction with Allegations Against Persons who Work with Children Procedure of the West Yorkshire Consortium's Safeguarding Children Procedures.

3.1 Initial Action

Any person who receives information or suspects that a child has suffered or is suffering Significant Harm in an adoptive placement or during an introduction to an adoptive placement must immediately inform the child’s social worker.

On receipt of any such information, the child’s social worker must immediately (i.e. within a maximum of one working day):

• Inform his or her Team Manager
• Inform the prospective adopter’s social worker and his or her Team Manager
• Inform his or her Children's Social Care Service Manager (who is the Senior Manager for the purposes of Chapter 5.1.4, Allegations Against Persons who Work with Children Procedures) and the child's Independent Reviewing Officer
• Inform the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

In consultation with the social worker, his or her Team Manager and the LADO, the Children's Social Care Service Manager will determine whether the matter should be treated as a child protection concern and be referred for a Strategy Meeting (see Section 3.2, Strategy Meeting) or a concern about standards of care, in which case the convening of an urgent Placement Planning Review Meeting - see Placement for Adoption Procedure - or an urgent review of the adoptive placement should be considered - see Adoption Reviews Procedure.

N.B.  If there are serious and/or multiple referrals about standards of care, it may still be appropriate to refer the matter for a Strategy Meeting for a full investigation.

Consideration must be given to the immediate safety of the child. Where removal is being considered, legal advice must be sought. If the child is removed, or no longer in the placement, then no further placements with the prospective adopters must be made until the investigation is resolved.

While recognising the practical difficulties, there should be no discussion about the allegations with the prospective adopters prior to the Strategy Meeting.

The prospective adopter’s social worker will:

• Inform the designated allegations manager within the Adoption Service - see Section 2, Introduction; and, in consultation with the designated allegations manager::
• Inform the social workers for any other child in the placement
• Inform any other local authority with an interest in the adoptive placement
• Provide support to the prospective adopter

Where it is appropriate to treat the allegation/suspicion as a child protection concern, the LADO will make a referral to Family Services (for prospective adopters living in Wakefield) and convene a Strategy Meeting as soon as possible and within a maximum of one working day of receiving information about the concern or allegation. The LADO will chair the Strategy Meeting.

Where the prospective adopter lives outside the district, the referral will be made to the relevant local authority and that local authority will be responsible for implementing their own local Safeguarding Children Procedures and inviting the child’s social worker and adopters’ social worker to the Strategy Meeting.

Any action to protect the child in question or any other children in need of protection must not be delayed because of the Strategy Meeting. 

Prior to the Strategy Meeting, the prospective adopter’s social worker should notify OFSTED of the allegation/suspicion and invite them to be represented at the Strategy Meeting.

NB Where a child who has already been adopted but is still in receipt of adoption support services makes an allegation of abuse, including where the allegation is of historical abuse, this must be referred to the child's social worker/adoption support worker, who will take the action set out below or, as appropriate, make a referral to Children's Social Care Services for the area where the child lives in order that the relevant LSCB procedures can be followed.

3.2 Strategy Meeting

The Strategy Meeting will be chaired by the Local Authority Designated Officer.

The purpose of the meeting will be to plan the investigation of the allegation/suspicion. 

The following people will be invited:

1. The child’s social worker and his or her Team Manager
2. Independent social worker, if appointed to carry out the investigation
3. The prospective adopter's social worker and Team Manager (who will liaise as necessary with the designated allegations manager within the Adoption Service - see Section 2, Introduction)
4. The Police Child and Public Protection Unit
5. Any other agency significantly involved with the child or adoptive family
6. A representative of OFSTED
7. A minute taker
8. The child’s Independent Reviewing Officer
9. Legal representative

As well as the issues set out in Section 11, Allegations Against Persons who Work with Children Procedure (contained in the West Yorkshire Consortium Safeguarding Children Procedures Manual), the Strategy Meeting must consider:

• Any previous allegations or concerns about the prospective adopters and the outcome of previous investigations
• Any previous allegations made by the child in question and the outcome of previous investigations
• The suspension of introductions or whether the child should remain in placement whilst the investigation is carried out.
• The need to call an urgent Placement Planning Review Meeting - see Placement for Adoption Procedure - or an urgent review of the adoptive placement - see Adoption Reviews Procedure - and the timing of any such review
• The safety and well being of other children living with, or having contact with the prospective adopters.
• Support to be offered to the children in the family during the investigation
• Who will inform the prospective adopters of this meeting
• Who will support the prospective adopters through the investigation process
• Contact and information to be given to the parents of the children concerned; how and when this should be done

Whether or not the Strategy Meeting considers that the allegation or suspicion has any foundation, the matter should be investigated unless there are exceptional circumstances and OFSTED must always be kept informed. 

The Chair should complete a decision sheet at the end of the meeting summarising the actions to be taken and the date of the next meeting.  This should also clearly state who is responsible for what actions, record timescales for completion of any agreed actions and reporting/information sharing systems.

Copies of the decision sheet and the minutes should be held on the child’s file and Adoption Case Record and the prospective adopter’s Adoption Case Record.

3.3 Investigation and Action

The actions agreed at the Strategy Meeting should be implemented by those responsible within the agreed timescales.

If the person raising suspicions or making the allegation is a third party and wishes to remain anonymous, these wishes should be respected.

Unless there are circumstances when the details or nature of the allegation cannot be shared immediately, the prospective adopters should be advised of the allegation as agreed at the Strategy Meeting and of the process to be followed in the investigation, including the possibility that an Initial Safeguarding Conference may be convened in relation to their own children, subject to the outcome of the investigation. 

Depending on the level and nature of any concerns and whether they are immediate, the prospective adopters may be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations before any final decision is made about necessary action to protect the child and other children in the household.  Such protective action may include asking the person against whom the allegation has been made to leave the household while the investigation is conducted.

Any decision to suspend the approval of the prospective adopter while the investigation is being conducted should be communicated in writing to the prospective adopter by the Adoption Team Manager.

Those supporting the prospective adopters must contact the prospective adopters as soon as practicable after they are made aware of the allegation, and explain their role.  They must make clear their responsibility to report to the local authority, the Police and in some circumstances to the Court if any information relevant to the investigation comes to their attention. 

They must provide to the prospective adopters:

1. Advice about consulting a solicitor
2. Advice about seeking independent support from a different adoption agency

Where the prospective adopters are in receipt of financial support, they should be informed of any implications for the payment of such support, where placements have been suspended. 

If an Initial Safeguarding Conference is convened, the Conference Chair must be consulted in advance to discuss whether the prospective adopters should be invited to attend.  In any event, the prospective adopters’ views must be obtained and communicated to the Conference.

The progress of the investigation and enquiries needs to be reviewed by the LADO fortnightly or, at a maximum, monthly depending on the complexity of the case. 

3.4 Concluding the Investigation

The investigation must be concluded as speedily as is commensurate with ensuring that it is thorough.

At the end of any investigation, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) will convene a Post Investigation Meeting to agree on the outcome of the investigation and responsibilities for any further action, including the need to call an urgent review of the adoptive placement - see Adoption Reviews Procedure and reporting on the matter to the Adoption Panel - and the need to make a referral to the Independent Safeguarding Authority for inclusion of the person on the Children's Barred List.

The meeting should determine who will write to the prospective adopters, informing them of the outcome of the investigation.

The child, the parents, other relevant agencies and OFSTED (if not in attendance) will also be informed of the decisions made at the meeting.  The LADO and the child’s social worker will agree the most appropriate way of informing the child and parents, and also who will notify the other agencies and OFSTED.

A report should be presented to the next available Adoption Panel.  As well as the investigation, the report should address the ability of the approved adopters to help come to terms with past events and to handle future behaviour, and whether the proposed placement or placement continues to be suitable.  The procedure to be followed will be the same as for reviews of prospective adopter’s approval - see Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters Procedure.

The social worker preparing the report should consult with the Panel Adviser and the Chair of the Adoption Panel who will advise on who should attend the Panel meeting (usually the child’s social worker and the prospective adopter’s social worker) and whether or not a special Panel meeting should be convened.

Any allegation made against a prospective adopter or a member of the household and how it was dealt with and decisions made should be recorded on the prospective adopters' file and retained for 100 years after the adoption order is made or if no adoption order is made in accordance with local policy: adoption support agencies should have written procedures for dealing with allegations of historical abuse which may be made by service users during the course of service provision.

All relevant documents in relation to the investigation, whatever the outcome, must be retained on the child’s file and the prospective adopter’s file, and their respective Adoption Case Records.

Consideration should be given to holding a debriefing meeting for all involved as to the impact of the allegations and the investigation, whatever the outcome, and any necessary assistance should be made available as necessary. 

End