The Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations 2003

Procedure in respect of carrying out an assessment

8.—(1) Where the adoption agency—

(a) is satisfied that the prospective adopter is eligible to adopt in accordance with the provisions in regulation 4; and

(b) considers he may be suitable to be an adoptive parent following any information provided or made available as a consequence of the carrying out of the requirements imposed by regulation 5 or otherwise,

it must set up a case record in respect of him and place on it any information obtained under that regulation or otherwise.

(2) The adoption agency must obtain such particulars as are referred to in Part VI of Schedule 1 to the Adoption Agencies Regulations together with, so far as is reasonably practicable, any other relevant information which may be required by the adoption panel.

(3) The adoption agency must obtain a written report—

(a) from a registered medical practitioner about the health of the prospective adopter which must deal with matters specified in Part VII of Schedule 1 to the Adoption Agencies Regulations;

(b) about the premises where the prospective adopter intends to live with any child who might be adopted by him; and

(c) of each of the interviews with the persons nominated by the prospective adopter to provide personal references for him,

and in a case where the agency is not the local authority in whose area the prospective adopter has his home, it must also obtain a written report about him from that authority.

(4) The adoption agency must prepare a written report which must—

(a) state the Convention country from which the prospective adopter wishes to adopt a child, confirm that he is eligible to adopt a child under the law of that Convention country and provide any other information which that Convention country usually requires;

(b) include the agency’s assessment of the prospective adopter’s suitability to be an adoptive parent;

(c) include any other observations of the agency on the matters referred to in regulations 3 to 6 and this regulation; and

(d) include information and observations regarding the prospective adopter’s identity, background, family and medical history, social environment, reasons for adoption, ability to undertake an intercountry adoption as well as the characteristics of the children for whom he would be qualified to care for and any other information which may be relevant.

(5) The adoption agency must notify the prospective adopter that his application is to be referred to the adoption panel and at the same time send him a copy of the agency’s report referred to in paragraph (4), inviting him to send any observations in writing to the agency on the report within 28 days, beginning with the date on which the notification was sent.

(6) At the end of the period of 28 days referred to in paragraph (5) (or earlier if any observations made by the prospective adopter are received before the 28 days has expired) the adoption agency must pass the report referred to in paragraph (4) together with all relevant information obtained by it under this regulation (including the prospective adopter’s observations on the report), to the adoption panel.