Events archive

CoramBAAF has announced the publication of the new Adoption Support Plan (ASP) for England, developed with input from Adoption England, a 2024 pilot with five RAAs, and consultations with Adoption UK. The ASP is compliant with relevant laws and is designed for use at key stages of the adoption process, including during matching, placement reviews before the adoption order, and future post-order assessments. It should be used alongside the updated Adoption Placement Report (APR) England 2025.

We are pleased to announce the release of the updated Kinship Care Assessment (Form K) for England. The renaming of the form to 'Form K' aligns with the national policy reform agenda and highlights the increasing recognition of the complexity and significance of kinship care when children are unable to stay with their parents. Our presenters are Ann Horne and Clare Seth, our Kinship Care Consultants.

We are pleased to announce the release of the updated Kinship Care Assessment (Form K) for England. The renaming of the form to 'Form K' aligns with the national policy reform agenda and highlights the increasing recognition of the complexity and significance of kinship care when children are unable to stay with their parents. Our presenters are Ann Horne and Clare Seth, our Kinship Care Consultants.

Previously Robust analysis and evidence based connected persons & special guardianship assessments

This open course will be an opportunity to explore personal and professional values and thresholds in respect of assessing connected persons, including tools to assist in assessing the child’s and the Connected Persons’ continued relationship with the birth parents and any possible risks posed to the child and carer and how these can be managed.

This course provides supervising social workers the opportunity to develop their practice and confidence in these areas. It will include a review their role and responsibilities in relation to foster carers and promote the development of best practice.

The role of the panel administrator is a multidimensional one. Effective adoption and fostering panels are crucial to the delivery of a good adoption and fostering service, and the provision of services for looked after children. The efficient administration of panels, including the provision of clear and accurate minutes, is a skilled and complex task that is essential to the smooth and effective operation of panels. This open course will enable adoption and fostering panel administrators to examine related legislation and share best practice though group discussion and practice application.

Post-adoption depression (PAD) is more common than often realised, but it can be difficult for adoptive parents to discuss. If left unaddressed, PAD can lead to long-term challenges for both the parent and child. Adoptive parents may fear that sharing their emotional struggles could jeopardise the adoption. The adoption process itself can be exhausting, with intense emotional and logistical demands. It is crucial for parents to know they are not alone and that their experiences are valid.

This two-day open course will provide practitioners and particularly those who may be new to undertaking, quality assuring or considering fostering assessments with an opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and practice in completing fostering assessments. This workshop may also provide a refresher for those wanting to reflect and build on knowledge skills and best practice in the completion of fostering assessments.

Panel advisors have a complex role in managing the relationship between the agency and the panel, quality assuring and feeding back to all involved in panel work. This open course will enable panel advisors to examine this role in detail and build on effective practice as they carry out their role and responsibilities including: quality assurance; inducting new panel members; contributing to the appraisals of panel members; feeding back issues to the agency and working with the agency decision maker. Case scenarios, group work and practice application will provide opportunities for panel advisors to address shared dilemmas and good practice.

The responsibilities of a Chair can be considerable. Whereas some duties may be clearly outlined in related practice guidance along with the qualities that ensure effective chairing, not all Chair responsibilities are so helpfully detailed or provided. This workshop will explore general planning for and facilitation of panels and complex meetings in the children’s sector. It will explore time management and group facilitation whilst holding the child at the centre of thinking, recommendations and decision making. It will enable Chairs of meetings to consider good practice and approaches to effectively managing the flow of information, summarising and the formation of key action plans.