Could Early Permanence be the right way for you to grow your family?

Caritas Care is proud to be part of Adoption North West’s Growing Families Together campaign, bringing adoption agencies across the North West together to raise awareness of Adoption through Early Permanence (Adopting babies and toddlers).

Early Permanence gives some children the opportunity to live with their potential adoptive family from an early stage, while decisions are being made about their future.

It can provide children with greater stability and the opportunity to develop secure relationships, while avoiding some of the moves between carers that can happen during the care and adoption process.

What is Early Permanence?

Early Permanence is sometimes known as foster to adopt or fostering for adoption. At Caritas Care, we often describe it as baby and toddler adoption, as Early Permanence is usually for very young children.

As an Early Permanence carer, you are approved as both a foster carer and an adopter. This means a child can be placed with you at an early stage, before for court has made a final decision about whether they can return to their birth family.

Initially, you will care for the child as a foster carer while these decisions are being made.

This means there is some uncertainty at the beginning. The child may eventually return to their birth family, or they may go on to be adopted by you.

Early Permanence carers also support the child to maintain contact with their birth family during this time.

If the court decides that adoption is the right plan for the child, the placement can then move towards adoption.

Why does Early Permanence matter?

For a young child, moving between different carers can be unsettling and can mean experiencing further separation and loss.

Early Permanence aims to reduce the number of moves a child experiences by giving them the opportunity to live with their potential permanent family as early as possible.

This can help children begin to develop secure attachments and experience greater continuity from the very beginning.

Local authorities are required to consider Early Permanence for children who enter care and cannot remain with their birth family.

What is Early Permanence really like?

Every Early Permanence journey is different, but hearing from people who have experienced it can help you understand what it is really like.

“We went from a couple to a family of five.”

Rachel and Paul adopted three children through Early Permanence.

They found that maintain contact with their children’s birth family also helped them understand more about their children’s early lives.

“As there is direct contact with birth family in Early Permanence arrangements, we are now able to talk about birth parents first hand because we got to know them a bit during contact and can share first hand anecdotes with our children.”

“As there is direct contact with birth family in early permanence arrangements, we are now able to talk about birth parents first hand because we got to know them a bit during contact and can share first hand anecdotes with our children.”

“We underestimated ourselves”

Iqbal and Ayesha were worried about whether they were ready to become parents through adoption.

They questioned whether their finances, home and circumstances were suitable and whether they were ‘good enough’ to care for a child.

Their social worker helped them understand the process and gave them the reassurance they needed.

Their daughter Khadija was placed with them through Early Permanence at nine months old.

“He arrived straight from hospital”

Stacey is a solo adopter and met her son Elias when he was just two days old.

She was initially anxious about having contact with his birth family, but found that the experience became a positive part of her journey.

“It gave me the opportunity to know things about him that aren’t written down on a piece of paper.”

She also valued the opportunity to get to know his birth mother and learn more about Elias’ early life.

Is Early Permanence right for me?

Early Permanence isn’t for everyone, but it can be incredibly rewarding when it is. It is important to understand that this is different from a traditional adoption journey.

You need to be able to cope with undertainty while decisions are being made about the child’s future.

You will initially be caring for the child as a foster carer, which means supporting contact with their birth family and working with social workers and other professionals.

There is also the possibility that the child could return to their birth family.

You don’t need to know whether Early Permanence is right for you before you contact us.

Our adoption team can talk you through how it works. Answer your questions and help you understand what becoming an Early permanence carer could mean for you and your family.

Why now?

There are currently 286 children in the North West waiting for a family through adoption.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, North West adoption agencies placed 637 children through Early Permenance, with 54% of those children aged under six months when they were placed.

Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, loving and permanent family.

Could you be part of that journey?

Find out more about Early Permanence HERE

If you’re considering adoption and would like to understand more about Early Permanence, give us a call on 0800 652 6955 or complete our enquiry form HERE.

You don’t need to have made a decision about adoption. We can answer your questions, talk through your circumstances and help you understand whether this could be the right route for you.

The Growing Families Together campaign includes real stories from adopters who have experienced Early Permanence. Watch our Growing Families Together film

Caritas Care is part of Adoption North West, a partnership of adoption agencies working together across the North West to raise awareness of adoption and Early Permanence.