The Adoption Support Services (Local Authorities) (Wales) Regulations 2005

Procedure for assessment

8.—(1) Where an assessment of needs for adoption support services is requested by a person entitled to be assessed and the local authority carries out an assessment of that person’s needs for those services it must, in carrying out the assessment, have regard to the following considerations —

(a) subject to paragraph (3), the needs of the person being assessed and how these might be met;

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

(c) in the case of a child who was placed for adoption, the circumstances that led to the child being placed for adoption;

(d) any special needs of the adoptive child arising from the fact that —

(i) the child has been looked after by a local authority;

(ii) the child has been habitually resident outside the British Islands;

(iii) the adoptive parent is a relative of the child.

(2) The assessment of a person’s needs for adoption support services must be carried out by, or under the supervision of, a person who has suitable qualifications, experience and skills necessary for the purposes of the assessment.

(3) Where the assessment referred to in paragraph (1) is being carried out at the request of a related person, the local authority must have regard to the needs of that person only so far as they relate to his or her need for assistance so as to enable him or her to take part in arrangements for contact with the adoptive child that were made before the request for an assessment.

(4) Where paragraph (1) applies and it appears to the local authority that there may be a need for the provision of services for the person whose needs are being assessed —

(a) by a local health board, NHS Trust or Primary Care Trust; or

(b) which fall within the functions of a local education authority,

the local authority must, as part of the assessment, consult that local health board, NHS Trust, Primary Care Trust or local education authority.

(5) The local authority must when carrying out an assessment under this regulation and where it considers it appropriate to do so —

(a) interview the person, and where the person is an adoptive child, the adoptive parents; and

(b) prepare a written report of the assessment.