Case No. LV21C01426

73.This Court is in a similar position as HHJ Bellamy was in ABCDE. I do not have a reliable assessment that determines how I should approach the effect of separating the children in such a way that will deny them the option of sibling contact in the short and long term. Judge Bellamy had the time available to the children to order a psychological assessment. Whilst I do not have the option of extending the timetable, I would, in any event be slow to do so even if time were on my side. I am not being asked to consider the consequences of sibling contact orders that will extend beyond adoption; it would be premature to do so at this stage.74.Acknowledging from the research evidence referred to above that the consequences of contact post adoption, especially in the case of a large sibling group, require careful consideration at the point of adoption, the best I can do is to make an order requiring that contact continue during the placement process up to the point that one of the children is the subject of an application for an adoption order. This will ensure the local authority does not reduce the sibling contact during the placement process for any of the children. It will also alert any prospective adopters as to the potential for an order to be made under s51A. I am told that any order for contact will limit the pool of prospective adopters. I accept this is probably the case.