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Contents

1. Recruitment and Responding to Initial Enquiries
2. Information Evening
3. Initial Visit
4. Preparation Course 
5. Checks and References 
6. Home Study/Assessment 
7. Prospective Adopter's Report 
8. The Panel Recommendation 
9. After the Panel Recommendation
10. Representations/Independent Review Procedure 
11. Review of Prospective Adopters' Approval 
12. Criteria for Prospective Adopters 

1. Recruitment and Responding to Initial Enquiries

The adoption agency aims to recruit and assess prospective adopters who can meet most of the needs of children for whom adoption is the plan.

It is not part of the recruitment strategy of the adoption agency to turn away couples or single people because of their status, age or because they and the child do not share the same racial or cultural background as the children requiring adoptive placements.

All members of the public who make an initial enquiry about adoption will be sent an information pack in relation to the adoption process, which contains a variety of information relevant to the enquiry, including the complaints procedure.  The information pack will be sent within 5 working days of the initial enquiry.  The pack will include information about how to progress the enquiry.

All new enquiries will be inputted on RAISE.

If the enquirer is responding to publicity for a specific child, the person taking the enquiry should ensure that the information is forwarded to the family finding social worker for the child concerned - see Adoption Planning for Children Procedure.

The procedure for any enquirer requesting a second placement will be the same as for new applicants.

The enquirer will be invited to an Information Evening and asked to confirm their wish to attend (see Section 2, Information Meeting)

Where there is no response from the enquirer within 6 weeks, the Adoption Team Manager will close the case and record this on RAISE.

Enquirers should not be turned away on the basis that their ethnicity and culture is not shared with those children waiting to be placed with adoptive parents or because of their age – there is no upper age restriction on applying to be adoptive parents.

2. Information Evening

A written invitation to an Information Evening must be sent within 2 months of the initial enquiry being received.

The purpose of the Information Evening is to provide enough information to help enquirers to decide if they wish to proceed with their interest in adoption.

This will include informing them of the criteria for prospective adopters (see Section 12, Criteria for Prospective Adopters), explaining further the procedures (including the need to complete a Preparation Course). The needs of the children currently waiting for adoptive families will be outlined.

At the end of the Information Evening, those attending will be asked to consider whether they wish to pursue their interest and if they do, to confirm this in writing to the adoption team.

3. Initial Visit

For those who confirm their wish to proceed following attendance at an Information Evening, a letter will be sent to them with an appointment for an initial visit by a social worker from the adoption team.

The initial visit provides an opportunity for the social worker to discuss with the prospective applicants why they wish to adopt and the type of child they would wish to consider.

The social worker should also check that the accommodation is acceptable and assess the appropriateness of commencing the approval process. Prospective applicants should be specifically asked to identify anything that they know may preclude them from adopting.

If any factors emerge which may have an adverse effect on an application, appropriate advice will be given about not pursuing an application at this stage, for example where an enquirer is still undergoing fertility treatment.

The social worker should record the outcome of the initial visit on RAISE.

The Adoption Team Manager will decide whether it is appropriate to invite an application.  The decision will be based on the information obtained so far in relation to the prospective applicants and the needs of the children waiting for adopters, taking into account the resources currently available within the existing pool of approved adopters.

An Adoption Case Record for the prospective adopters should be set up as soon as a formal application has been received  (including where it is a second or foster carer application, in which case copies of relevant information from other files should be placed on the new Adoption Case Record). The prospective applicant will be invited to attend a Preparation Course and, one week before the commencement of the course, an application form will be sent to them to complete and return to the adoption team.

If there are reasons for not inviting an application, the Team Manager will write to the enquirers setting out the decision not to proceed and the reasons. Advice should be given of any steps they may take in order to meet the criteria or of how they might pursue their interest elsewhere, if appropriate, or of steps they may take if they disagree with the decision.

If there appear to be issues of concern in relation to the enquirers' health, the Medical Adviser should be consulted for advice before a decision is made. Where advised by the Medical Adviser, the prospective applicants should be requested at this stage to obtain a medical report from their GP. Dependent on the outcome of the health information received and the medical advice from the Medical Adviser, the Adoption Team Manager will decide whether to proceed with the application and the decision will be communicated to the enquirer in writing with reasons.

4. Preparation Course

All prospective adopters will be required to complete a Preparation Course, called Prepare To Adopt, before their application proceeds to a full assessment.  This will be held over four days in two weeks, usually two Thursdays and two Fridays in consecutive weeks.

The course is an integral part of the application process, and applicants must attend all sessions. 

The objectives of the course are:

• To raise awareness and understanding of the key issues which need to be addressed by all prospective adopters, including information to enable them to understand the purpose and importance for the child of maintaining contact with the birth family.
• To assist applicants to consider more thoroughly the implications of adoption and to decide whether or not adoption is right for them
• To assist applicants to determine the type of resource they can offer to the children needing adoptive placements.
• To contribute to the assessment of applicants.

Where issues emerge during the Preparation Course as a result of which the Adoption Team Manager decides that it is not appropriate to proceed with the application, the applicants should be visited by a social worker from the adoption team and notified in writing of the decision, with reasons. Advice should be given of any steps they may take in order to meet the criteria or of how they might pursue their interest elsewhere, if appropriate. 

Where they disagree with the decision and/or are not willing to withdraw, a brief report on the application should be presented to the Adoption Panel and the procedure to be followed should be the same as if the report was a full Prospective Adopter's Report (see Section 8, The Panel Recommendation to Section 10, Representations/Independent Review Procedure).

5. Checks and References

5.1 Checks

On receipt of the completed application form, the following checks will be taken up on all adult members of the household aged 16 and over: Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) (enhanced criminal record certificates will be sought), Probation, NSPCC, Health Trust, Children's Services, the Education Service and Adult Social Care Services.  Where the applicants live outside Peterborough, the checks must be made with the agencies where the applicants live.

Where applicants have lived abroad as an adult, checks will also be made through International Social Services and/or the relevant Consulate on all members of the household aged 16 and over.

Where there are concerns about an applicant's circumstances as a result of the information obtained from the above checks, the Adoption Team Manager may decide that it is not appropriate to proceed with the application. A further visit may be arranged to explain the decision not to proceed to the applicants. The applicants must always be notified in writing of the decision, with reasons.

If the information leading to this decision relates to a previous conviction of a member of the applicant's household, the details of the offence can only be disclosed to the applicant with the consent of the relevant person; without such consent, the applicant can only be informed that the reason relates to information obtained from the checks but no details can be given.

Where a decision has been made that the application should not proceed but the applicants are not willing to withdraw, a brief report on the application should be presented to the Adoption Panel and the procedure to be followed should be the same as if the report was a full report on the Prospective Adopters (see Section 8, The Panel Recommendation to Section 10, Representations/Independent Review Procedure).

5.2  References

Personal References

Where an application is accepted, applicants will be asked to provide the names of a minimum of two personal referees, who are adults, have known the applicant for a significant period of time and are not related to the applicant. Referees should be people who know the applicants well in a personal capacity, and it is desirable that the referees have direct experience of caring for children, either in a personal or professional capacity.  Referees who are a couple should be seen together and will only count as one referee.

Where there is a joint application, referees should know both applicants, or additional referees will be required.

A third reference from a member of the prospective applicant's wider family should also be taken up.

Referees will be seen as part of the assessment process.

Employers' and Other References

A written reference must also be obtained in relation to each applicant from all previous and current employers where they work or have worked with children or vulnerable adults. These references will be taken up during the assessment process.

Where the prospective applicant has made a previous application to foster or adopt, the relevant agency must be asked to confirm in writing the outcome of the application and provide a written reference.

Obtaining Written References

Requests for written references will be sent on a standard reference letter.

The referees should be asked to comment on the following:

1. The length of time the referee has known the applicant, in what circumstances, how they met and how regularly they are in contact.
2. Where there is a joint application, the couple's relationship including its stability and quality, the couples strengths and ways of coping with stress and how mutually supportive the couple is.
3. The applicants’ general physical and emotional well being.
4. How the applicants relate to children, with examples, and what experience the applicants have of caring for children.
5. How the applicants have adjusted to childlessness if this is the case, how they have prepared to become adoptive parents, how much they have shared with the referees and how open they are in talking about the issues surrounding adoption.
6. If the applicants have children of their own, how the referee thinks a child from a different ethnic background will impact on the other children in the family.
7. Any reservations the referee has and whether the referee wholeheartedly supports the application

Interviewing Referees

As well as providing a written reference, referees will also be interviewed as part of the assessment process.

At the start of the interview, the referee should be informed that the written report of the interview will not be shared with the applicants but that any issues arising during the interview may be discussed with them. 

Issues for discussion include the following:

• The applicant as a personality
• The stability of the couple's relationship (if a joint application)
• The referees impression of the applicants general physical and emotional well being
• The referees opinion on the applicants ability to relate to children, and the basis of the opinion
• The referees opinion on whether adoption is appropriate for the applicant
• Any reservations the referee may have to express about any aspect of the application
• Whether the referee wholeheartedly supports the application.
• What support the referee is able to offer the prospective adopters.
• Whether the referee has any reason to believe the applicant would harm the children in their care

The assessing social worker will also contact the previous partners of the applicants, where the relationship was significant and/or recent, and where there were any children of the relationship, the social worker will arrange to interview them face-to-face wherever practicable.  All children of the applicant(s) living away from home will also be contacted and interviewed or asked for a written reference. 

In addition, as part of the assessment, where the applicant has school age children, the relevant school(s) will be contacted, with the permission of the applicant, for information regarding the applicant's ability to promote the child’s education.

5.3  Health

Once an application has been accepted or earlier if appropriate, the applicants will also be asked to arrange for an adoption medical examination and report from their GP on Form AAH. Form AAH will then be sent to the Medical Adviser by the GP.

The GP’s report must have been written within the 6 months prior to the Adoption Panel meeting considering the application. 

Where the applicant's GP has expressed concerns or where clarification of the implications of any health issues is required, detailed advice must be sought from the Medical Adviser and the implications fully discussed with the applicant. It may be necessary for reports from other health professionals also to be obtained and presented to the Medical Adviser and the Adoption Panel.

Where there are concerns about an applicant's circumstances, for example where there are concerns about their health or about the information obtained from referees, the matter may be presented to the Adoption Panel for its early consideration.

In some cases, the concerns may be such that the applicant is advised not to proceed with the application. Any such advice must be confirmed to them in writing and the reasons explained.

Where the applicant disagrees with the decision that the application should not proceed and/or is not willing to withdraw, a brief report on the application should be presented to the Adoption Panel and the procedure to be followed should be the same as if the report was a full report on the Prospective Adopter (see Section 8, The Panel Recommendation to Section 10, Representations/Independent Review Procedure).

6. Home Study/Assessment

The home study/assessment must be carried out by a qualified social worker with suitable experience (see Section 5, Adoption Panel Procedure).

The assessment will comprise a series of interviews, the majority of which will take place in the applicants’ home.  Applicants should be interviewed at least once both individually and with their partner, and all other members of the household will also be interviewed, including the children. 

Checks should be made that any information obtained from an individual can be shared with the partner

The areas covered in interviews will follow the subject areas:

• Individual profiles of all members of the household, including racial origin and religious persuasion
• Information about the home, the local community and the neighbourhood
• Details of education and employment - past and present
• Income and expenditure
• Details of past and present relationships
• Motivation to adopt/childlessness
• Parenting capacity, experience of being parented and experience with children
• Support network, including wider family network
• Expectations of the placement, including understanding of issues from the preparation course
• Attitudes to birth families and approach to openness in adoption

As part of the assessment:

• A family tree and chronology of key events in the applicants life must be compiled, showing his or her educational, employment, marital and/or relationship history and all previous addresses; any gaps and/or unusual patterns should be explored.
• All information provided by the applicant must be independently verified where possible
• Where an applicant has been divorced or separated, factors contributing to the breakdown of the relationship must be verified. This applies equally to significant relationships between couples who are not married.
• The adequacy and safety of the prospective adoptive home and transport will be assessed.

The time taken to complete the assessment and present the report to the Adoption Panel after a formal application has been received will generally be no more than eight months unless the need for additional work with the prospective adopters is identified or recommended by the Adoption Panel. Where the timescale is not met, the Adoption Panel should record the reason.

The assessment will consider the likely need for adoption support services of the prospective adopters and any member of their family - see Adoption Support Services Procedure. As part of this, the family's finances and the criteria for financial support may also be discussed if relevant. 

Where the prospective adopters live outside Peterborough, the social worker should ascertain the extent of any support services identified as necessary by contacting the Adoption Support Services Adviser in their local area.

The assessment will also cover the applicants’ willingness to notify the adoption agency if the adopted child dies during childhood or soon afterwards, their views on post-adoption contact and their willingness to pass on information to birth parents about the progress of the adopted child.  These issues should be specifically reported on to the Adoption Panel.

If, during the course of the assessment, any issues emerge which cast doubt upon the likelihood of the applicants being approved, such issues should be discussed openly with the applicant at the time, and early consideration by the Adoption Panel may be sought at any stage.

7. Prospective Adopters Report

The information gathered during the assessment, the Preparation Course and the checks and personal references, and a comprehensive analysis of the information received must form the basis of the Prospective Adopter's Report (on BAAF Forms F1 or F2). The report will also include a summary by the Medical Adviser of the health report obtained on the applicant/s.

Guidance for completing BAAF Forms F1 and F2 must be followed, which include the need to address anti-discriminatory practice issues.  It should contain a summary of the assessed strengths and weaknesses of the applicants, together with an opinion of the type of placement likely to be provided successfully.  Potential risk factors should be highlighted.

Once the assessing social worker has completed the report, it should be submitted to the Team Manager for approval. The Manager will check that the report is accurate, up to date and contains evidence-based information before it is presented to the Adoption Panel.

Where there are any issues of concern to the Team Manager, a second opinion visit will then take place by another experienced practitioner who will prepare a brief report.

The final Prospective Adopter's Report and the second opinion report will be sent to the applicants, with a form for their comments. The applicants should be asked to send their written comments to the assessing social worker. It should be explained to them that they have 10 working days to do this, and that their written comments will be circulated to Panel members, with the report. They can also agree to waive the 10 day period.

The applicants should also be advised of their right to attend the meeting of the Adoption Panel, which considers their application, and they are supported in doing so. They should be provided with written information about the Panel process, its membership, who will attend and their respective roles. If the applicants know a particular Panel member, the applicants may request that the Panel member stand down.  (Panel members are in any event expected to declare an interest in these circumstances - see Adoption Panel Procedure).

Applicants should not be shown any comments made by referees or any other third party information.

The social worker will then send the Prospective Adopter's Report and the applicants' written comments (if any) to the Panel Administrator at least 10 working days before the relevant Adoption Panel meeting.

The date of the Panel meeting will be communicated to the applicants as soon as possible, together with an invitation to attend the Panel during consideration of the report.

8. The Panel Recommendation

The Prospective Adopter's Report should be presented to the Adoption Panel within 6 weeks of its completion.

The assessing social worker will attend the Panel meeting, together with the applicants if they so wish.  The decision to attend rests with the applicants and a wish not to attend will not prejudice consideration of their application. 

Applicants who decide they wish to attend should be fully prepared as to the procedure prior to their attendance (see Section 7, Prospective Adopters Report). 

The Panel will consider the Prospective Adopter's Report together with any written comments made by the applicants and any additional information presented verbally, and make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker regarding the suitability of the applicant to adopt a child. 

The recommendation will be recorded in writing and, where approval is recommended, any advice given about the number of children the prospective adopter may be suitable to adopt, their age range, sex, likely needs and background. 

Reasons for the recommendations and any advice as set out above will also be recorded in the Panel's minutes.

The adoption worker undertaking the assessment will advise the applicant of the Panel recommendation within 24 hours of the Panel meeting if the applicants were not at the meeting.  This will be verbally, by telephone or, where appropriate, a home visit. The social worker will emphasise to the applicant that the Panel recommendation has to be ratified by the Agency Decision Maker.

9. After the Panel Recommendation

The Agency Decision Maker will make a decision as to the suitability of the applicant, and express a view on any Panel advice given, based on the reports presented to the Adoption Panel and the minutes detailing the Panel's recommendation.

Where the Agency Decision Maker is minded to disagree with the Panel recommendation, he/she must first discuss the case with another senior officer with the appropriate experience, who should not be a Panel member.  This discussion must be recorded and placed on the prospective adopters' Adoption Case Record.

The decision must be made within 7 working days of the Adoption Panel meeting and must be recorded, together with reasons.

The Panel Administrator will arrange for the applicants to be sent oral notification of the decision within 2 working days and written notice of the decision, signed by the Agency Decision Maker, within 5 working days of the decision.

Where the decision differs from the recommendation of the Adoption Panel, a copy of the Panel recommendation will be sent to the unsuccessful applicant/s with the written notification of the decision.

10. Representations/Independent Review Procedure

If a decision is made to refuse an application for approval, the applicant will be advised that if he or she wishes to challenge the decision, representations should be submitted within 40 working days either directly to the agency or they may request a referral to the Independent Review Mechanism (run by BAAF).  NB Applicants can decide which representation procedure to choose - they cannot choose both. 

The Panel Adviser must receive notification of the wish to attend or make written representations to the Adoption Panel within 40 working days of the date of the written notice of the decision. 

If no written notification or representations are received within this period, the decision to refuse the application can be confirmed.

If a request to attend or make written representations to the Adoption and Permanence Panel is made within the period, the matter must be referred to the Panel for further consideration.  The Panel Adviser will inform the applicant within 7 days of the date of the Panel meeting when they can attend or their written representations will be considered. 

In these circumstances, applicants who wish to attend the meeting of the Adoption Panel can arrange for a friend or supporter to accompany them.

After considering the representations, the Panel will make further recommendations either confirming or amending their previous views, which the Agency Decision Maker will consider before a final decision is made.

Written notice of the final decision, together with reasons, must be sent to the applicant within 7 working days of the Panel meeting. 

Where the decision is still to refuse the application, a copy of the report to the Panel, the Panel's recommendation and the decision, with reasons, must be retained on the applicant's Adoption Case Record.

If the applicant decides to refer the matter to an Independent Review, the relevant Panel reports, any new information obtained since the Panel meeting, a record of the decision made and reasons, a copy of the written notification of the decision and a copy of the Panel minute, if different, will be sent to the Independent Review within 10 working days of their written request. 

The procedure for the Independent Review is carried out by BAAF; the applicant and a representative of the adoption agency will be invited to attend the Independent Review.

After considering the representations, the Independent Review may make a recommendation, which the Agency Decision Maker will consider before a final decision is made.

Written notice of the final decision, together with reasons, must be sent to the applicant within 7 working days of the receipt of the Independent Review recommendation.

A copy of the report to the Panel, the Panel's recommendation and the decision to refuse an application must be retained on the applicant's Adoption Case Record.

11. Review of Prospective Adopters’ Approval

All successful applicants will be allocated an adoption social worker whose task is to support the adopters through the period of waiting for a placement, identify any further training needs, arrange updated medical examinations as requested by the Medical Adviser, consider any potential matches and discuss any such matches with the approved adopters before a match is presented to the Adoption Panel. The allocated adoption social worker will visit at the latest within one month of the approval and thereafter contact will be a minimum of 6 weekly.

Prospective adopters’ details may be passed to the Adoption Register immediately after their approval (if they consent) it it appears unlikely that there will be a placement with a child in their area or if no locally identified match is being actively pursued at the latest by 3 months.

They will also be informed of local support groups and be advised of their responsibility to maintain links with the adoption social worker and keep him or her informed of any significant changes in their situation.

If no placement of a Peterborough child with the approved adopters has been identified within 3 months of their approval, they will be referred to the East Anglian Consortium and, if they so wish, to the National Adoption Register. 

All approved adopters will be subject to Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks every 2 years and required to provide an updated medical report every 2 years.

The Adoption Team Manager will review the adopters' approval annually or sooner if there has been a significant change, for example a new member of the household.  The review will be undertaken by means of a pro forma agenda/report prepared by the adoption social worker, together with any comments on the report from the prospective adopters, including any necessary statutory checks on new members of the household. 

If the approval is still considered suitable, the prospective adopters should be notified of the outcome in writing and a copy of the report, decision and notification placed on their Adoption Case Record. 

If the prospective adopters are considered no longer suitable, a report should be presented to the Adoption Panel and the procedure to be followed should be the same as for the presentation of the Prospective Adopter's Report (see Section 8, The Panel Recommendation to Section 10, Representations/Independent Review Procedure).

12. Criteria for Prospective Adopters

12.1 Individual and Joint

Applications will be considered from married couples, unmarried couples or single people. In the case of married and unmarried couples, there is no minimum requirement on the length of the marriage/relationship, but the Panel will need to be satisfied about the stability of the relationship.

12.2 Religion

Applications will be considered from people of any or no religious persuasion.

12.3 Ethnicity

Applications will be considered from people of any race or culture.

12.4 Age

The minimum age for adopters is 21 years.  There is no specific upper age limit.

12.5 Gender

Applications will be considered from people of either sex.

12.6 Sexual Orientation

Applications will be considered from people of any sexual orientation.

12.7 Income

Applicants may be in work or not, and will not be excluded on the basis of low income. Whatever the applicants’ income, however, they will need to consider the financial implications of increasing their family.

12.8 Health

Applicants are accepted from those with a disability.

Applicants will be required to have a full medical and undergo any further tests/checks that may be required by the Adoption Panels Medical Adviser. The Medical Adviser will advise on the applicants’ ability, from a health point of view, to meet the needs of a child throughout his or her childhood. 

12.9 Criminal Convictions

A person who is seeking approval as  an adoptive parent will not be considered if s/he or any adult member of the household has been cautioned for or convicted of an offence against a child which involves violence or bodily injury (other than common assault or battery), cruelty (to a child under 16), indecency, abduction, the supply of Class A drugs or the importation/possession of indecent photographs of a child under 16 or a sexual offence against a child unless the offence was contrary to sections 6,12 or 13 of the Sexual offences Act 1956 and the person concerned was under 20 when the offence was committed. 

Other convictions will not necessarily preclude an application, but this will depend on the seriousness of the offence and how long ago it was committed. In cases of doubt or dispute, the matter will be referred to the Panel Adviser, Adoption Panel and/or the Agency Decision Maker. 

12.10 Accommodation

Applicants may own their own home or live in rented accommodation. They will have to demonstrate that they have a secure home environment in which to bring up a child.

They will need accommodation appropriate to the number and ages of the children they are seeking to adopt.

12.11 Fertility Tests/Treatment

Childless couples wishing to adopt a baby or a young child will usually be required to have completed any fertility tests and treatment, and to have had a period of time, probably about 6 months, since completing the tests before an application can be accepted.  This is because it is important for couples to have accepted their infertility and grieved before moving on to start the adoption process. 

12.12 Applicants who have a Child or Children

Applications will be accepted from people who already have a child, in which case any children should usually be at least two years older or younger than the age of the child an applicant is seeking to adopt. 

If the intention is to adopt a child in the middle of the family, there should preferably be a three year age gap between the siblings but each child's individual placement needs must be considered.

12.13 Domicile/Habitual Residence in the British Isles

Applicants do not have to have British Citizenship, but should have their Domicile or Habitual Residence in the British Isles.  Where there is a joint application, only one of the applicants need to be domiciled in the British Isles or both should be habitually resident here.

In all these cases it is essential to see all relevant documents in order to fully establish nationality and immigration status.

Where there is doubt, potential applicants should be asked to seek independent advice.

12.14 Location

Applications are welcome from those who reside within Peterborough or elsewhere.

Applicants must be prepared to travel for group meetings, introductions etc. and be available for assessment and home visits. 

12.15 Child Care Experience

It is important that the applicant who is going to be the main carer has some experience of children of the age group in which the applicants are interested.

12.16 Support Network

Applicants will need to demonstrate that they have accessible and established support networks of family and friends who will be in a position to provide support with parenting. 

12.17 Post Placement/Post Adoption Contact

Prospective adopters will be expected to comply with arrangements for post placement/post adoption contact with the child’s birth family, where the agency considers it is in the child’s best interests for such contact to take place.

12.18 Significant Change or Bereavement

Applicants will be advised to defer pursuing an interest in adoption if they have recently experienced any significant change in the family or bereavement.

End