The Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Procedure in respect of carrying out an assessment

6.—(1) Where, following the procedures referred to in paragraph (1) of regulation 5, and subject to paragraph (1) of regulation 4, the adoption agency is satisfied that the prospective adopter is eligible to adopt and considers he may be suitable to be an adoptive parent it must set up a case record in respect of him and place on it any information obtained under this regulation.

(2) The adoption agency must obtain such particulars as are referred to in Part VI of the Schedule 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 medical practitioner about the health of the prospective adopter which must deal with matters specified in Part VII of the Schedule 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 adoption agency is not the HSS trust in whose area the prospective adopter has his home, it must also obtain a written report about him from the relevant HSS trust.

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

(c) include any other observations of the adoption agency on the matters referred to in regulations 4 and 5 and in 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 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 adoption agency’s report referred to in paragraph (4), inviting him to send any observations in writing to the adoption agency on the report within 28 days, beginning on 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.