The Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005

[F1 Prospective adopter’s report E+W

30.— (1) The adoption agency must obtain the information about the prospective adopter which is specified in Part 3 of Schedule 4.

(2) The adoption agency must prepare a written report (“the prospective adopter’s report”) which includes—

(a) the information about the prospective adopter and the prospective adopter’s family which is specified in Parts 1 and 3 of Schedule 4;

(b) a summary, written by the agency’s medical adviser, of the state of health of the prospective adopter;

(c) any relevant information obtained by the agency under regulation 26(e);

(d) any observations of the agency on the matters referred to in regulations 24 and 25;

(e) the agency’s assessment of the prospective adopter’s suitability to adopt; and

(f) any other information which the agency considers relevant.

(3) In a section 83 case, the prospective adopter’s report must also include—

(a) the name of the country from which the prospective adopter wishes to adopt a child (“country of origin”);

(b) confirmation that the prospective adopter meets the eligibility requirements to adopt from the country of origin;

(c) any additional information obtained as a consequence of the requirements of the country of origin; and

(d) the agency’s assessment of the prospective adopter’s suitability to adopt a child who is habitually resident outside the British Islands.

(4) Where the adoption agency receives information under paragraph (1) or other information in relation to the assessment of the prospective adopter and is of the opinion that the prospective adopter is unlikely to be considered suitable to adopt a child, it may prepare the prospective adopter’s report under paragraph (2) notwithstanding that the agency may not have received all the information about the prospective adopter which may be required by this regulation.

(5) The adoption agency must—

(a) notify the prospective adopter that the prospective adopter’s application is to be referred to the adoption panel;

(b) give the prospective adopter a copy of the prospective adopter’s report;

(c) invite the prospective adopter to send any observations in writing to the agency within 5 working days, beginning with the date on which the notification is sent; and

(d) explain to the prospective adopter that the adoption agency may, in exceptional circumstances, extend the timescale referred to in paragraph (c) above.

(6) At the end of the 5 working days referred to in paragraph (5)(c) (or, where that timescale is extended by the adoption agency, as soon as possible after the prospective adopter’s observations are received) the adoption agency must send—

(a) the prospective adopter’s report and the prospective adopter’s observations;

(b) the written reports and references referred to in regulation 26(b) to (e) but in the case of reports obtained in accordance with regulation 26(b), only if the agency’s medical adviser advises it to do so; and

(c) any other relevant information obtained by the agency,

to the adoption panel.

(7) The adoption agency must obtain, so far as is reasonably practicable, any other relevant information which may be required by the adoption panel and send that information to the panel.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 4 substituted (1.7.2013) by The Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/985), regs. 1, 5