Hello! Amanda here! I am YAA’s EPP Champion and I want to share why I think EP Placements are great things and also what adopters need to think about when considering this route to growing their family.
Why did I decide to become YAA’s EPP Champion?
As both a child’s social worker and an adoption social worker, I have seen firsthand how Early Permanence Placements help children develop strong, lasting relationships with their adoptive parents.
I’ve watched families grow and thrive, and while supporting them can be challenging, it’s also one of the most rewarding parts of my role.
When a child begins to understand their life story and knows that their parents knew their first mummy and daddy, it’s incredibly meaningful.
What is EPP and why is it a route to adoption?
Early Permanence aims to reduce the number of placement moves a young child experiences when adoption is a potential part of their care plan.
By doing this, it helps reduce the impact of trauma caused by moves and supports the development of early life attachments.
As a prospective adopter, you would need to be approved as a foster carer by the child’s local authority.
This fostering approval is temporary and specific to the child, pending formal adoption placement or the end of the fostering arrangement.
Placements can also be made under Fostering Regulation 25, depending on the circumstances.
What are the benefits of EPP?
I know that children with adoption plans often move to adopters after living with one or more foster families.
Research shows that children who experience three or more moves are particularly at risk when it comes to future placement stability.
Early Permanence allows carers to provide continuity of care both before and after adoption. In some cases, this means a child placed directly from hospital might not experience any further moves at all.
This is really important for a child to promote stability and security which is important for their wellbeing.
It reduces the number of moves a child may make as these can be traumatic because of their experience of loss.
A child can begin to bond earlier which leads to stronger attachments and relationships.
What do prospective adopters need to think about when considering EPP?
It is important you understand the risks involved.
The child may return to their birth family or connected persons, which would be a loss for you as an adopter and could be emotionally challenging.
Each local authority can work differently when working to Early Permanence plans.
You may need to support a child with attending ‘family time’ which is arranged by the child’s local authority and involves maintaining relationships with a child’s birth family.
There could also be regular meetings to attend with professionals to review the child’s care plan.
How does YAA support me if I am interested in EPP?
YAA provides a mandatory half-day training module to help our families understand the roles and responsibilities of Early Permanence carers.
EP Carers would also receive support from the child’s social worker, a fostering social worker, and me, YAA’s Early Permanence Champion.
Read more about EPP on our dedicated page.
Further resources
Early Permanence Carer Resources | Adoption England
Podcast – Early Permanence: A Route to Adoption with Pandora Christie – You Can Adopt
Podcast – 109 – Going to approval panel …–Adoption, Fostering & Tea: The New Family Social Podcast