Early permanence resources
Early permanence involves children being placed with potential adoptive parents who are also approved as temporary foster carers while the court decides about the child’s future. This reduces delay and moves for babies and children, giving them crucial stability and continuity of care as early as possible.
PACT will support early permanence carers every step of the way. We have a dedicated children and family support worker for early permanence and a team of experienced social workers ready to help guide applicants through the early permanence process. You will also be invited to attend a training workshop, support groups and linked up with experienced adopters as part of a buddy scheme. We also provide access to our online support platform CATCH and our specialist post-adoption therapeutic support service FACTS.
Resources for early permanence carers
Appointment card
A postcard that early permanence carers can give to GP staff to help keep confidentiality of them and the child(ren).
Early permanence training
This course is designed for prospective and approved adopters to better understand what early permanence entails so that they can make an informed decision as to whether it is an option they wish to consider.
Training will include information about the process, legalities and family time, the chance to hear from an early permanence adopted and time to ask any questions you may have.
Email katie.leighton@pactcharity.org to confirm your attendance and a link will be sent to you.
Early permanence support group
Share experiences and get advice! Open to PACT adoptive parents who are linked with or caring for a child under early permanence.
Email sophie.copeland@pactcharity.org to confirm your attendance and a link will be sent to you.
Buddy up scheme
The early permanence buddy scheme matches prospective early permanence carers with experienced early permanence carers who may have a similar situation. For example, being a single early permanence carer or having an early permanence placement with a birth child.
To request a buddy, email enquiries@pactcharity.org.
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Books and further reading
- Concurrent planning – Achieving EP for babies and young children – BAAF Adoption and Fostering
- Proposals for Placing Children With Their Potential Adopters Earlier – Department For Education
- Fostering for Adoption: Our story and stories of others – Alice Hill
- Matching a child in early permanence placement: the importance of identity – Coram BAAF
- Our stories – A collection of early permanence experiences – CCS Adoption
- SWAC Reunification Framework
- Teo’s story – Adopt Thames Valley
- Room in the Nest – Holly Marlow
- The Role of Fostering for Adoption in Achieving EP for Children – Coram BAAF
Videos and podcasts
- Early Permanence and Loss – Daddy Life London
- Early Permanence: A Route to Adoption with Pandora Christie – YouCanAdopt
- Early Permanence and Contact Conference – adoptionadventures
- Early permanence after infertility – New Family Social
- Early permanence – when the child returns to birth family – New Family Social
- Adopting through early permanence – One Adoption Chat
- Early permanence and FASD – You, Me and Adoption Heidi’s Family
- Understanding early permanence: Safi’s story – Home for Good
Websites
- Early permanence – PACT
- Early permanence – Coram
- Early permanence for young children – First4Adoption
- Adopting a young child: Early Permanence – Coram
- Early Permanence stories – Coram
- Early permanence blog – Children’s Social Care
- Adoption leave and pay – Acas
CATCH resources
You will need to be registered to our Children And Trauma Community Hub (CATCH) to view the below resources. You will have free access to CATCH as an early permanence carer through PACT. If you need help signing up, email catch@pactcharity.org.
- Talking early permanence with Devin – Part 1: Preparing – CATCH
- Talking early permanence with Devin – Part 2: Early days – CATCH
- Talking early permanence with Devin – Part 3: Role of the EP carer – CATCH
- Talking early permanence with Devin – Part 4: Family time – CATCH
- Talking early permanence with Devin – Part Five: Reunification – CATCH
Case studies from some of our early permanence carers
