Early Permanence Adoption Leave

[MadAdopter]

After 2 years of keeping my employer informed all through my adoption assessment, I am now being considered for an early permanence placement and my manager is challenging that I can start my adoption leave with very little notice. I have tried explaining that this is common with fostering to adopt but she is being difficult about it. I feel even more stressed now! Has anyone else been in this position? I am right in thinking that I am not legally required to give notice? I will give as much notice as I can but it is out of my control really.

Isn't it 28 days notice but if you can't then it's as soon as reasonably practicable

I think normal adoption is two weeks' notice, but with EP it can be very little notice for fostering.

But if she nows it's coming then she has some kind of notice surely ... it can't be helped

Do you have an HR department if you do negotiate with them, they’ll possibly be much more flexible than your manager.

Legally you will be fine to take leave as soon as you are notified of your EP placement, but obviously your manager may feel resentful about this. If you have a HR department it will probably be beneficial to liaise with them instead.

That is what I thought, I tell her everything as it happens but she hasn’t done anything about hiring cover for me (I am a senior manager).

We don’t have a HR department my boss is in charge of HR and employs an external consultant.

@MadAdopter that’s unfortunate... I guess all you can do is keep giving as much information as possible and hope your manager starts sorting something soon!

Surely it would be the same situation if a pregnant employee have birth prematurely.. it doesn't seem fair that one would be okay and the other is an issue.
The adoption route, I'm slowly coming to realise, is full of bumpy paths :( I really hope your boss understands and it gets sorted for you!

hope your manager starts sorting something soon!
Your manager can’t prevent you from going on adoption leave because they’ve not covered your post, in exactly the same way they couldn’t if you were pregnant. It’s worth talking your SW about when you’re likeky to get paperwork etc and how it usually works with employers - if your SW has been around for a while they’ll have come across the situation before and will be able to advise you re timescales, notice etc.

The other thing you could do is keep some annual leave so that you technically give 28 days notice but actually take leave for two weeks so finish work and start placement after 14 days.

At the end of the day, they can’t penalise you for going on adoption leave so do the thing that’s right for you and little one.