In June 2021, our Concurrent Planning Service placed their 150th child, aged 3 years old. The child’s age shows a significant change from the first 5 years of operation when a very high number of very young babies were placed with their carers (70% were aged under 6 weeks old). In the last year, the service has seen rise in demand for carers for children over the age of 12 months old.
The Concurrent Planning Service formed in 2014, is delivered in partnership by Adoption Matters and Caritas Care. The service offers an early permanence route for some young children in the care system. Now one of the largest services of its kind in the country and covers the whole of the North West including; Lancashire, Greater Manchester; Cheshire; Wirral, Merseyside and parts of Shropshire.
The service is now particularly keen to speak to individuals and couples who can consider children that are currently a high priority, they include:
- Children over the age of 12 months
- Sibling groups of brothers and sisters
- Children with additional needs
- Children from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds, specifically Black Caribbean and Black African
Enquiries will be prioritised for people who feel they are able to meet the needs of children included in these categories. The concurrent planning team will talk further to all enquirers about the children’s needs, the role of the concurrent carer and invite them to an informal, online information event. The service also has a greater need for carers who live in and around the Greater Manchester area.
