The Adoption Agencies (Scotland) Regulations 2009

Duties of adoption agencies: assessment of prospective adopters

7.—(1) Each adoption agency must prepare and publish a statement of the general criteria applied by it for the purpose of determining whether any person may be accepted for assessment as an adoptive parent.

(2) Each adoption agency must from time to time review the general criteria prepared by it under paragraph (1).

(3) In considering any application by a person to be assessed by the adoption agency as an adoptive parent the adoption agency must–

(a) apply the general criteria under paragraph (1); and

(b) undertake any further steps which it considers necessary to consider and make a determination on the application.

(4) Where the adoption agency determines that a person should not be accepted for assessment as an adoptive parent it must give notice in writing of its determination to that person.

(5) Where the adoption agency determines that a person should be accepted for assessment as an adoptive parent it must–

(a) so far as is reasonably practicable obtain the information in Part I of Schedule 1;

(b) assess the case and prepare a report on the assessment;

(c) refer the case to the adoption panel for a recommendation on whether the prospective adopter is suitable to be an adoptive parent;

(d) provide all relevant information obtained under sub-paragraph (a) and a copy of the report on the assessment to the adoption panel at the same time as making the referral;

(e) notify the prospective adopter that the case has been referred to the adoption panel; and

(f) provide the prospective adopter with a copy of the report provided to the adoption panel which report shall exclude any information provided by any person in confidence.