The Adoption Support Services (Local Authorities) (England) Regulations 2003

Procedure for assessment

6.—(1) Where the local authority carry out an assessment of a person’s needs for adoption support services they shall, in carrying out the assessment, have regard to the following considerations—

(a) subject to paragraph (4), the needs of the person being assessed;

(b) the needs of the adoptive child and his adoptive family;

(c) in the case of a child who has been placed for adoption, the circumstances that led to the child being placed for adoption.

(2) In carrying out an assessment in respect of a person—

(a) where it appears to the local authority that—

(i) there may be a need for the provision of services to that person by a Primary Care Trust; or

(ii) there may be a need for the provision to him of any services which fall within the functions of a local education authority,

the local authority shall notify that Primary Care Trust or local education authority;

(b) where the assessment is for the purposes of regulation 5(4) and the prospective adopter lives in the area of another local authority, they shall consult that other local authority.

(3) The local authority shall, where it considers it appropriate to do so—

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

(b) prepare a written report of the assessment.

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