Procedure for Assessing Inter-Country Adopters

ISSUE NUMBER / AUTHOR / APPROVED BY / APPROVAL DATE / REVIEW DATE
1 / Marie Ologbosere / Pat Dixon / OCTOBER 2014 / October 2015

REVISIONS:

VERSION / PAGE / PARAGRAPH / DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE / REVISION APPROVED BY / DATE APPROVED
ADDITION OF NEW LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS

Procedure for Inter –country adoption

  • The assessment procedure for inter-country adoption is similar to that of domestic adoptions in it initial stage.
  • The applicant applies to the local authority by phone or letter to request a Home Study for the purpose of adoption.
  • A referral is taken and an appointment made for an initial assessment.
  • The initial assessment looks at the Following:

Which country the applicants want to adopt from and why?

Applicants can find out themselves the particular requirements for the country they intend to adopt from.

Whether they have considered a Domestic adoption

Home Circumstances/ employment

Outline the fees for the Home Study – process

  • Initial assessment written up and given to manager for agreement to proceed
  • Home study commences – using PAR(prospective adopters report) two stage process. This report should not take longer than 6 months in total.
  • Checks – DBS/LA/NSPCC -should be done as early as possible at stage one, so that any issues that are raised can be dealt with during the assessment.
  • Applicants to be booked onto a preparation Group. (overseas Adoption centre in Barnet run a group )
  • Referees to be visited.
  • Applicants read and sign final report.
  • Adoption panel to be booked through Tara Bajracharya (Hackney)Tel:0208 356 6202 – who manages the panel.
  • Applicants attend panel with social worker on the appointed date.
  • Panel recommendation ratified by the Agency Decision Maker
  • Once recommended for approved the PAR/DBS checks/Medicals/References/Panel minutes and Decision Makers approval letter are sent with appropriate form and covering letter to the Inter-country Casework team
  • Department for Education, Adoption Department, Mowden Hall, Staindrop Road, DarlingtonDL3 9BG
  • The Department for Education (DfE) will consider the reports, and send the applicants and the local authority an approval letter, and Forms A& B
  • The link SW worker maintains contact with the applicants whilst the overseas process is ongoing. Some countries may ask for frequent renewals of the DBS FORMS/ or further guarantee from the LA that they will monitor the placement.
  • Once a child has been identified and the applicants have the details, they have to discuss the child with their SW, before the SW fills in the Form A agreeing that the child is suitable for them. This form is sent to Department for Education
  • Once the applicants know when they have to travel to the country they are adoption from to attend the court hearing and collect the child, they will notify the SW of their intentions and Form B is sent to the Department for Education, notifying them the date the applicants will return with the child.
  • If the adoption is recognised in the UK, there is no further involvement once the child comes into the UK. The applicants can apply for British Citizenship for the child.
  • Once the child has entered the UK, the SW should visit within the first week. If the applicants are adopting from a country whose adoptions are not recognised in the UK, (Non-Designated) then the SW continues to monitor the placement with regular visits, first and second reviews to be held.
  • If all is well in the placement – applicants should put in their application (A58) to adopt through the British Court at the Principal Registry of the Family Division, High Holborn.
  • SW will write the Annex A report
  • Court grants adoption Order
  • Case Closed
  • Should the adopters not apply for an adoption Order within 2 years the placement will need to be assessed to see if the adopters are meeting the child’s needs

Adopter decides to withdraw their application

  • Should the adopter/s decide to withdraw their application before a child is placed with them, they are required to notify the adoption agency that they do not wish to proceed with the adoption of a child.
  • The agency should inform the Department of Education , who will inform the Central Agency of the state of origin, and ask for return of the documents.

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