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282 <h2>
282 Non Agency Adoption
282 </h2>
284 </div>
287 <div id="scope_box">
288 <h3>
288 SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
288 </h3>
289 <p>
289 This procedure applies to applications in relation to adoptive placements that have not been
arranged by a local authority or registered adoption agency, other than children brought into the
UK for the purposes of adoption. This will include adoption applications by step-parents,
relatives, private foster carers or local authority foster carers who have not sought or obtained
the local authority's approval for the placement becoming an adoptive placement.
289 </p>
290 <p>
290 In relation to such applications, the residence requirement are as follows:
290 </p>
291 <ul>
292 <li>
292 If the applicant or one of the applicants is the partner of the parent of the child, the child
must have lived with the applicants continuously for 6 months prior to the application;
292 </li>
293 <li>
293 If the applicants are local authority foster carers, the child must have lived with the
applicants continuously for 12 months prior to the application;
293 </li>
294 <li>
294 In any other case, the child must have lived with the applicant(s) for three out of the last
five years prior to the application or the Court must have granted leave for an earlier
application.
294 </li>
295 </ul>
296 <p>
296 For the procedure in relation to children who have been brought into the UK for the purposes of
adoption - see
296 <a href="p_inter_country_adop.html">
296 Inter Country Adoption Procedure
296 </a>
296 .
296 </p>
297 <p>
297 For the contents of the Court report for adoption applications, see
297 <a href="g_court_rept.html">
297 Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance
297 </a>
297 .
297 </p>
298 </div>
299 <div id="sections">
301 <h3 id="sections_list">
301 Contents
301 </h3>
302 <ol>
303 <li>
303 <a href="#initial_cont">
303 Initial Contact
303 </a>
303 </li>
304 <li>
304 <a href="#notific">
304 Notifications
304 </a>
304 </li>
305 <li>
305 <a href="#med_info">
305 Medical Information
305 </a>
305 </li>
306 <li>
306 <a href="#other_checks">
306 Other Checks
306 </a>
306 </li>
307 <li>
307 <a href="#local_auth">
307 Local Authority Duty to Supervise a Child
307 </a>
307 </li>
308 <li>
308 <a href="#court_req_report">
308 Court Request for Report
308 </a>
308 </li>
309 <li>
309 <a href="#paren_consent">
309 Parental Consent
309 </a>
309 </li>
310 <li>
310 <a href="#chi_wish_feel">
310 Child's Wishes and Feelings
310 </a>
310 </li>
311 <li>
311 <a href="#applicants">
311 The Applicants
311 </a>
311 </li>
312 <li>
312 <a href="#adop_support">
312 Adoption Support
312 </a>
312 </li>
313 <li>
313 <a href="#alt_adop">
313 Alternatives to Adoption
313 </a>
313 </li>
314 <li>
314 <a href="#adop_hearing">
314 Adoption Hearing
314 </a>
314 </li>
315 <li>
315 <a href="#aft_court">
315 After the Court Process
315 </a>
315 </li>
316 </ol>
317 <h3 id="initial_cont">
317 1. Initial Contact
317 </h3>
318 <p>
318 Where residents of the local authority area request advice by letter, telephone or in person in
relation to a non-agency adoption, the matter should be referred to the Adoption Service and a
Referral Form should be completed and the enquirer should be offered general information. This may
be by telephone or an office interview may be arranged.
318 </p>
319 <p>
319 The prospective applicants should be offered information and advice on the adoption process and
the implications of adoption, including the following:
319 </p>
320 <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman">
321 <li>
321 Alternatives to adoption;
321 </li>
322 <li>
322 The child's need to know that s/he is adopted and have information about the birth family;
322 </li>
323 <li>
323 The requirement for the consent of parents with Parental Responsibility to be obtained;
323 </li>
324 <li>
324 The role of CAFCASS;
324 </li>
325 <li>
325 The need to notify the local authority of their intention to apply for an Adoption Order.
325 </li>
326 </ol>
327 <p>
327 If it is clear that the applicants do not fulfil the criteria of Domicile / Habitual Residence in
the UK, the duty social worker should advise them to obtain legal advice.
327 </p>
328 <p>
328 When it is established that the family concerned wish to pursue adoption, the case should be
allocated to a social worker in the Adoption Service. The allocated worker must fulfil the
qualifications and experience criteria set out in
328 <a href="p_adop_panel.html#reports_adop">
328 Adoption Panel Procedure, Reports to Adoption Panel
328 </a>
328 </p>
329 <p>
329 Where a foster carer is making a non-agency application to adopt a Looked After child, with the
support of the local authority, the case will be allocated as soon as possible.
329 </p>
330 <h3 id="notific">
330 2. Notifications
330 </h3>
331 <p>
331 Applicants for adoption, in the case of non-agency placements, must notify the local authority for
the area where they live of their intention to apply for an Adoption Order. The notification
should be sent at least three months and not more than two years before the date of the adoption
application.
331 </p>
332 <p>
332 Any such notification received should be passed to the Adoption Service. The Adoption Manager will
arrange for the notification to be acknowledged and, if not already allocated, allocate the case
to a social worker. The allocated worker must fulfil the qualifications and experience criteria
set out in
332 <a href="p_adop_panel.html#reports_adop">
332 Adoption Panel Procedure, Reports to Adoption Panel
332 </a>
332 .
332 </p>
333 <p>
333 Upon receipt of the notification, the local authority will have a duty to supervise the welfare of
the child if the child is within the definition of Privately Fostered - see
333 <a href="#local_auth">
333 Section 5, Local Authority Duty to Supervise Child
333 </a>
333 .
333 </p>
334 <p>
334 An Adoption Case Record should be opened for the child or each of the children involved.
334 </p>
335 <p>
335 As soon as practicable after notification is received, the allocated social worker will leave
forms for the prospective adopters to complete for checks for all members of the household aged 18
or over.
335 </p>
336 <h3 id="med_info">
336 3. Medical Information
336 </h3>
337 <p>
337 Except where the application is by a step parent in which case a medical report is not required,
the social worker will check that the applicants(s) and the child have received a medical
examination before the adoption application is submitted.
337 </p>
338 <p>
338 If medical examinations are required, the social worker will provide the applicants with the
relevant CoramBAAF medical forms for completion. These should be submitted to the Court with the
adoption application and the Court will send copies to the local authority when a Court report is
requested. Upon receipt, the completed medical forms should be passed by the social worker to the
Medical Adviser for comment. These comments should then be included in the Court report (see
338 <a href="#court_req_report">
338 Section 6, Court Request for Report
338 </a>
338 ).
338 </p>
339 <h3 id="other_checks">
339 4. Other Checks
339 </h3>
340 <p>
340 On receipt of the notification of intention to apply to adopt, the social worker should arrange a
Disclosure and Barring Service on the applicants and any member of the household aged 18 or over.
Forms should be left for the prospective adopters to complete as soon as practicable after
notification of an intention to adopt is received.
340 </p>
341 <p>
341 Consent should also be obtained for checks to be carried out with the local authority, Probation
and the health trust - and the necessary checks should be made.
341 </p>
342 <h3 id="local_auth">
342 5. Local Authority Duty to Supervise Child
342 </h3>
343 <p>
343 On receipt of a notification in relation to a child who comes within the definition of Privately
Fostered, the social worker must supervise the child until an Adoption Order is made in accordance
with the
343 <a href="p_private_fost.html">
343 Private Fostering Procedure
343 </a>
343 , except that, where the child is already known to the local authority, the requirements under the
Private Fostering Regulations as to the initial visit to the placement will not apply.
343 </p>
344 <p>
344 The aim of the supervision is:
344 </p>
345 <ul>
346 <li>
346 To ensure the child is well cared for and in receipt of appropriate health and education
services;
346 </li>
347 <li>
347 To support the prospective adopters and help them focus on the task of integrating the child
into their family and of providing the child with full information about his or her background
and birth family.
347 </li>
348 </ul>
349 <p>
349 All visits should be recorded, including whether the child was seen and if so, whether the child
was seen alone.
349 </p>
350 <p>
350 The social worker should advise the prospective adopters of the need for them to provide medical
reports on themselves and the child to accompany their adoption application (see
350 <a href="#med_info">
350 Section 3, Medical Information
350 </a>
350 ). The social worker should also attempt to obtain medical information on the birth parents and a
neonatal report on the child if under 5 years old. The social worker should send all available
medical information to the Medical Adviser for comment.
350 </p>
351 <p>
351 The social worker should ask the prospective adopters for the names of two personal referees, whom
the social worker should interview.
351 </p>
352 <p>
352 The child will continue to have the status of a privately fostered child until an Adoption Order
is made or until notification is given that the prospective applicants no longer intend to apply
to adopt.
352 </p>
353 <p>
353 Prospective applicants should be asked to clarify their intentions if there is a delay and no
adoption application is lodged. If this is not forthcoming, the social worker involved should
write to the prospective applicants indicating that unless confirmation is provided of an
intention to adopt, it will be assumed that the notification is withdrawn. In any event, after 2
years the notification will lapse.
353 </p>
354 <h3 id="court_req_report">
354 6. Court Request for Report
354 </h3>
355 <p>
355 Where a Court receives an adoption application in relation to a non-agency adoptive placement, the
Court will notify the local authority of the hearing date and request a Report be prepared and
submitted to the Court, usually within 6 weeks of the receipt of the notification. The Court
timescales should be clarified at an early stage and if more time is required, a written request
must be submitted to the Court as soon as the need for an extension is identified.
355 </p>
356 <p>
356 The social worker responsible for the supervision of the child will be responsible for preparing
the Report, and for this purpose should gather available information on the child and parents -
see sections below.
356 </p>
357 <p>
357 The allocated worker must fulfil the qualifications and experience criteria set out in
357 <a href="p_adop_panel.html#reports_adop">
357 Adoption Panel Procedure, Reports to Adoption Panel
357 </a>
357 .
357 </p>
358 <p>
358 For the contents of the report, see
358 <a href="g_court_rept.html">
358 Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance
358 </a>
358 .
358 </p>
359 <p>
359 Once completed, the social worker should send the Court Report to the Adoption Service Manager for
approval so that it can be filed with the Court within the required timescale.
359 </p>
360 <h3 id="paren_consent">
360 7. Parental Consent
360 </h3>
361 <p>
361 The adoptive applicants will have to indicate in their adoption application whether or not there
is Parental Consent to the application. If the parents do not consent, it is for the applicants to
ask the Court to dispense with the agreement of the parent or parents.
361 </p>
362 <p>
362 The social worker preparing the report should attempt to interview both birth parents in relation
to the adoption application and ascertain their views. If the parents do not live within a
reasonable travelling distance, the social worker may request that a social worker from the local
authority for the area where the birth parents now live interview them.
362 </p>
363 <p>
363 The report should address the significance of the role played so far by the birth parents in the
child's life and the implications of an Adoption Order for any future parental role.
363 </p>
364 <h3 id="chi_wish_feel">
364 8. Child's Wishes and Feelings
364 </h3>
365 <p>
365 The social worker should speak to the child to ascertain his or her wishes and feelings in
relation to the adoption and report on these to the Court. Where the child is not aware of the
adoption application, the social worker should discuss with the adopters the best way to address
this so that the child's views can be obtained.
365 </p>
366 <p>
366 The discussion with the child should address any confusion on the part of the child in relation to
the implications of an Adoption Order for example where the adoptive applicant is a relative.
366 </p>
367 <h3 id="applicants">
367 9. The Applicants
367 </h3>
368 <p>
368 The report will need to comment on the strength and duration of any new family relationships,
particularly in the case of an adoption application by a step parent. Where there is limited
evidence of the strength and stability of the relationship, the applicants should be advised to
consider deferring the application until there is more evidence of stability.
368 </p>
369 <p>
369 In addition, alternatives to adoption should be discussed and explored with the applicants, who
should be encouraged to consider them.
369 </p>
370 <p>
370 For example where the main concern is the child's name, the applicants should be advised to seek
legal advice on how to achieve this without the need for an adoption order.
370 </p>
371 <h3 id="adop_support">
371 10. Adoption Support
371 </h3>
372 <p>
372 Other than an application by a step parent, the social worker should consider the likely need of
the child and adoptive family for adoption support. See
372 <a href="p_adop_support.html">
372 Adoption Support Procedure
372 </a>
372 .
372 </p>
373 <h3 id="alt_adop">
373 11. Alternatives to Adoption
373 </h3>
374 <p>
374 The report should address any alternatives to adoption, which may offer a better framework for the
child and the birth parents' future role.
374 </p>
375 <h3 id="adop_hearing">
375 12. Adoption Hearing
375 </h3>
376 <p>
376 The social worker responsible for preparing the report should attend the adoption hearing.
376 </p>
377 <h3 id="aft_court">
377 13. After the Court Process
377 </h3>
378 <p>
378 Once the adoption proceedings are complete, the social worker should complete the child's Adoption
Case Record and arrange for its safe storage in the Adoption Archives.
378 </p>
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