What is the process for approval by an adoption agency?
• You should contact your local authority adoption service or an adoption agency to discuss your plans to adopt a child from abroad (both local authorities and approved adoption agencies have a duty to establish and maintain a service that covers both domestic and intercountry adoption). The local authority/ adoption agency will then carry out an assessment on you and, if you are a couple, your partner. (Privately commissioned home study assessments are not acceptable). This involves in-depth interviews with a social worker, medical and police checks. The information gathered will be presented to the social services department/ agency’s adoption panel and agency decision maker in the form of a report. A senior manager at the local authority or adoption agency will then decide whether they can approve you to adopt a child from a specific country, taking into account the panel’s recommendation.
