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i would suggest you phone the AUK helpline for adviceno-one should pressurise you to adoptif the child has additional needs these need to be in the open and discussion about whether adoption of long term FC or SGO is the right decisionthe LA may have a time pressure to have the child off the list waiting for adoption but you can advocate for what you feel the child needs and what you can offerdo not let then bully youif you want to offer permanence - ask them to state clearly what financial and other support they propose to ensure all the child needs are met

Lost her temper with you? Oh my goodness, that is awful. I hope you can compain about this because it is not acceptable at all. You should not feel pressure to adopt this child, and 11 months is very early to be considering this, especially when they have known difficulties.

I am assuming this child came to you as a ltfc, in which case they have no right to be pressuring you into what will be for them, but certainly not for you, cheaper long term options. its one thing to suggest sgo or adoption to short term carers where the plan is still adoption, and quite another to pressure people who took on the relative financial stability that goes along with ltfc with sgo or adoption. so unless sgo/adoption were presented to you as the agreed eventual outcome for this child and for you as his carers when he was placed, then stand your ground. you could also complain via the complaints process or just email the head of childrens services so she/he is aware of what this IRO is doing and of her unprofessional behaviour at the review (copy in the iro's manager as well). they'd be quick to come down hard on us as fc's if we lost our tempers at a review and they throw birth parents out of reviews here if they lose theirs.

My agency has made a formal complaint and they are arranging a professionals meeting with the LA, the agency, me and my husband to discuss this . Then, hopefully, the IRO will behave herself at future meetings.I am feeling better now but I was very worried that the IRO may have the power to remove our fc which there is no way I could let happen. He has made so much progress in the last 11 months and now when the IRO visits he seems like a 'normal' child which is probably why she thought we should be adopting him.We have said all along that we would probably adopt him in the future but when we felt it was the right thing for him but I don't think that will be for several years.Does anyone know how much power an IRO has?

Not sure how much power an IRO has, but goodness me, the same thing happened to us at our LO's last review (but without the loss of temper!) The previous review they mentioned looking at Special Guardianship (they were supposed to be providing information but didn't) and the week before this latest review LO's SW said they were looking at some sort of order (Care Order, as LO is accommodated, and birth family with PR are often out of touch)...so the adoption thing was completely out of the blue.Like you, we had always said we may adopt when the time is right ---but for various reasons the time is not right at the moment.I asked them about adoption allowance, and they hadn't even investigated that for us, so for now the ball is back in their court. For us at least we know they cannot remove LO as she has been here 3 years now, so we can stand our ground with a bit more confidence.Keep us informed about how you get on.BB

I am not sure but I rather thought , that the IRO was quite powerful actually.The difficulty that you have, as i see it, is that the child, unless there is an adoption order or SGO in your favour, is basically a LAC kid, and the parental rights are in the hands of the local authority, not you at the moment. If their plan is for adoption, or SGO they have to do it within a government timescale, and also to be able to move on to dealing with other kids in the system they will need to have this littly's future settled.I haven't got any sw experience so can't advise you what to do for the best, but i hope you find the help you need to sort this out and get something settled so the child can stay with you and get the support needed. Best Wishes

Bermuda blue, I had a child removed after 3 years and 3 months. the LA can remove any LAC they want for whatever reason they want whenever they want. there don't have to be safeguarding concerns or even any concenrs at all, they have all the power. in fact having concerns/safeguarding issues actually emans they have to follow statutory guidelines before removing a child, in the absence of those they can do what ever they like. most sw's will look to the best interests of the child before moving them, but many have very squewed views on what 'best interests' involves.the difference in having the child longer than 3 years means you could get the court to stop the move but that would mean applying for an sgo/residence/adoption order etc before the child was removed. my mistake was to not do that becoz I was told the LA wouldn't support it. I know now the things I could have done, but too late to stop her being removed. the IRO is not that powerful, well, not in terms of having the child removed any way. the ones involved with sb have proven to be very impotent in regards to protecting her right to stay put and allowed, but did not authorise, sw's to do what they wanted with her.