1. Recruiting Adopters for Today’s Children
Adopters for Children with Complex Needs and Disabilities
Judith Sargent & Andy Stott

2. History of Barnardo’s Adoption Service
Over 100 years of experience of finding families for children in need
Approved adoption agency since 1947
Adoption services across
England, Wales and
Scotland

3. History of the Project
Barnardo’s bid for Second Phase of Expansion Grant
Awarded 3 projects focussing on recruiting adopters for siblings, for children with complex needs and uncertainty and for disabled children
Here to share our work with recruiting for those with complex needs and uncertainty

4. Developing the Project
Research into what works
Information gathering
Participation of adopters
Those who have previously adopted
Those adopters who are waiting
Marketing and Recruitment strategy
Adapting current practice
Implementation
Evaluation

5. Research and Information Gathering
Limited written research
Information gathering with LAs within our local Consortium
Delivery of training for the Consortium
Adapting our preparation and training to meet the needs of local children

6. Participation with Adopters
Hearing the stories of those who have done it
Focus group
Links with past adopters
Links with foster carers
Hearing from waiting adopters
Identifying fears and worries

7. Recruitment & Marketing
Aim was to target recruitment of these adopters at the “Front Door”
Development of marketing materials that were welcoming to all and for all children
Social media activity

8. Case study Family C - willing and able to take child with disability
Previous experience of parenting children with disabilities
Exchange of information and opportunity to meet key professionals
Blind visit
Support plan which ensured that key health professionals were on board
Additional social work support to ensure handover, apply for finance and respond to emotional challenges

9. Adapting Current Practice
Openness and honesty with adopters from the outset
Face to face meetings through information events and home visits
Enhancement of preparation training and assessment process
Thorough matching process
Negotiation of tighter support plans
Increasing post placement support

10. What have we done differently
Specific training – “Breaking Down the Barriers”
Factsheets and resources
Buddying
Developing DVDs of past adopters

11. What have we done differently
Additional post approval training
Enhancing the post placement support offer including counselling and therapeutic parenting training

12. Case study Adopter M - changed her criteria post approval
Attendance at Breaking Down the Barriers and specialist FASD training
Provision of additional resources and reading
Supportive social work visits
Buddy scheme with experienced foster carer
Prior experience of working with children with additional needs
Support package which acknowledges future support needs

13. Data from Yorkshire 20 approvals in the period Oct 14 to Nov 15
13 of these willing and able to take children with complex needs, uncertainty and disability
20 placements (25 children) in the period Oct 14 to Nov 15
12 of these are children with complex needs or disabilities
6 further families linked with children with complex needs or disabilities

14. What has gone well
Opening minds to accepting children with complex needs, uncertain futures or disabilities
Clear messages embedded within all communication and training
Meeting the needs of these children has become core business and not an add-on
Children being placed in families

15. Meeting the challenges of the current environment
Recruitment challenges
Preparation of adopters for the harder to place children
Ensuring appropriate support is made available, especially immediately post-placement before the ASF can be accessed

16. Contact details Barnardo’s Family Placement Team, East
Andy Stott, Adoption Operations Manager
Judith Sargent, Adoption Team Manager
Barnardo’s Family Placement Team, East