The Adoption Support Services Regulations 2005

Procedure for assessment

14.—(1) Where the local authority carry out an assessment of a person’s needs for adoption support services they must have regard to such of the following considerations as are relevant to the assessment—

(a) the needs of the person being assessed and how these might be met;

(b) the needs of the adoptive family and how these might be met;

(c) the needs, including developmental needs, of the adoptive child and how these might be met;

(d) the parenting capacity of the adoptive parent;

(e) wider family and environmental factors;

(f) in the case of a child who is, or was, placed for adoption or matched for adoption, the circumstances that led to the child being so placed or matched; and

(g) any previous assessment of needs for adoption support services undertaken in relation to the person in question.

(2) In paragraph (1) “adoptive family” means the family consisting of the adoptive child, the adoptive parents and any other child of the adoptive parents (whether or not adopted).

(3) The local authority must—

(a) where they consider it appropriate to do so, interview the person and, where the person is an adoptive child, his adoptive parents; and

(b) prepare a written report of the assessment.

(4) Where it appears to the local authority that the person may have a need for services from a Primary Care Trust, a Local Health Board or a local education authority, the local authority shall, as part of the assessment, consult that Primary Care Trust, Local Health Board or local education authority.