Placing Children with Disabilities with Adoptive Families

The South-West Permanence Project (SWPP) has been designed to improve existing practice in placing children with disabilities with adoptive families in the South-West region of England, by exploring new practice models and promoting greater consistency across the region. 

This interim report, carried out by Dr Andrew Brown, Rees Centre, Department for Education, University of Oxford, analyses semi-structured interviews with SWPP operational staff and the project management group, alongside information from SWPP case-files. The aim of the report is to evaluate the project’s implementation phase and current progress against the Theory of Change outcomes as of September 2025.

Collectively, the findings presented in the report suggest that the SWPP is challenging current practice while offering a potential roadmap for more inclusive, responsive, and evidence-informed pathways to permanence. As the SWPP progresses, its capacity to influence national policy and inform permanence planning for children with disabilities will be crucial to its long-term impact.