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This Guidance clarifies the core tools, which should be used in each assessment and points Social Workers to other useful articles and resources. All Staff should be familiar with ‘BAAF Making Good Assessments’. This guidance is intended to supplement this.

The assessing Social Worker and Practice Manager will agree the structure and proposed timescale of the assessment in supervision using the learning logs from the Motivation and Preparation Groups. The logs will identify areas that need further input/assessment. This will be shared with applicants at an initial set up meeting with assessing Social Worker and Practice Manager. (See: Adoption Assessment Initial Appointment Guidance - to follow).

This initial appointment will clarify the complaints procedure which applicants can invoke should they have issues with the assessment process. The meeting will also detail the decision making process and the procedure applicants can invoke to review a decision not to recommend them as prospective adopters.

Assessments vary in their complexity and flexibility is required in both the number and structure of sessions. However as a guide, a completed assessment should take between 10 and 12 sessions.

National Adoption Standards require an agency decision within 8 months of the acceptance of an application. Where this timescale is not achieved, a note should be made on the Prospective Adopter’s Report detailing the reason. In order to meet this timescale, Social Workers and their practice Managers must plan the assessment schedule with a Panel date in mind. This should be shared with applicants at the Initial Assessment Appointment.

Essential Core Tools (requirement for every assessment)

• Adoption Assessment Initial Appointment Guidance - to follow (for set up of meeting)
• Chronology
• Genogram
• Ecomap
• Attitudinal & Experiential Exercises
• Adapted Adult Attachment Interview Questions
• Positive Indicators for Successful Adopters / Resilience Factors
• Financial Assessment

The aforementioned tools must be used in each assessment.

The Chronology, Genogram and Ecomap are assessment tools but also useful processes. They should be used with applicants to reflect on their history and make sense of links and themes. They are a way of gathering evidence of how applicants work together (if a couple) and with you, as the assessing Social Worker. They can illustrate how coherent an understanding they have of their life story and its relevance for the role of prospective adopter, how open they are to exposing challenging histories and how resolved they are about such histories and how they have managed relationships over the years and sustained friendships.

The Attitudinal and Experiential Exercises used should be referred to in the Prospective Adopter’s Report and be available for Panel. These exercises are designed to ‘surprise the unconscious’ and work at a deeper level with applicants than can usually be achieved through general discussion. It is accepted that during preparation and assessment it will be necessary for applicants to experience some discomfort with some of the exercises. This is an attempt both to generate empathy for an adoptive child’s experiences and also to enable the Social Worker to assess applicants’ ability to manage stressful situations both individually and as a couple (for joint applications).

The Attitudinal and Experiential Exercises are detailed in the Index of Assessment Tools. Those indicated with an * are mandatory and should be completed in all cases.

The Adult Attachment Interview Questions are listed in the Index of Assessment Tools and are mandatory. A summary of responses to these questions should be included in the Individual Profile section of the Prospective Adopter Report with analysis of the findings.

The Positive Indicators for Successful Adopters / Resilience Factors must underpin the assessment process. They should be used when analysing information provided by applicants, including the way in which they engage in the assessment process.

Family Talk should be used to engage children of applicant families to talk about their feelings about having an adopted child or children in their family.

What are we looking for in prospective adopters?

We are not looking for ‘perfect Carers’ but we are looking for people able to evidence that they have the characteristics of secure resilient adults and possess positive indicators for successful adoptive Parenting.

Characteristics of Secure Adults

• Acknowledgment of positive and negative experiences
• Capacity for reflection and insight
• Coherent narratives
• Ability to process trauma and loss
• Close confiding relationships
• Support networks

Resilience

Resilience comprises a set of qualities, which help a person to withstand many of the negative effects of adversity. Evidence of resilience would be being able to overcome the odds and achieve success despite exposure to adversity or risk, sustaining competence under pressure, recovering from trauma and successfully adjusting to negative life events.

Resilience Factors

• Good attachments
• Good self esteem
• Sociability
• Intelligence
• Attractiveness
• Flexible temperament
• Sense of humour
• Problem solving skills
• Individual autonomy
• Self efficacy ‘I can make a difference’ as evidenced by persistence, taking responsibility, being able to make decisions, being able to work with others and having a sense of optimism

Protective Factors for Resilience

• Good school or work experience
• Close confiding other
• Religion
• Community networks
• Leisure activities
• Talents and interests

Positive Indicators for Successful Adoptive Parenting

• Empathy
• Understanding the child’s behaviour
• Experience and enjoyment of children
• Management of own needs
• Satisfactory resolution of childlessness issues (where relevant)
• Non-rigid thinking / openness to ideas/ ability to use learning opportunities
• Dealing with change
• Managing and resolving conflict
• Living with the child’s history without being haunted by it

BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report

Assessments are structured according to the BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report.

BAAF Prospective Adopter Report (PAR) Contents Page illustrates the various sections of the prospective adopter report.

Form F PART 1B is the application form to be completed by adoptive applicant.

Summary sheet for Adoption Panel is used to provide a quick reference summary for adoption panel members on the case being presented for consideration.

Section A provides factual inforamtion about the applicant and the applicants.

Section B provides qualitative information, evaluation and recommendation of the suitability of the applicants to adopt.

Section C provides other reports and supporting material.

Section D provides references and statutory checks.

Final section provides Guidance Notes on the use of the BAAF Prospective Adopter Report.

The Index of Assessment Tools is a list of tools or materials to use in the assessment of prospective adopters. It will be added to over time.

The Index is organised with reference to the following sections of the Prospective Adopter’s Report:

1. Miscellaneous Guidance

• Adoption Assessment Initial Appointment Guidance
• Adoption Assessment Initial Appointment Follow Up Letter
• BAAF Prospective Adopter Report Part 2 Guidance Notes
• Evidencing Competencies
• Assessment Overview
• Assessment Schedule (what has been covered)
• Assessment Framework Guidance
• Quick Checklist
• Positive Indicators for Successful Adoptive Parenting

2. Individual profile on each applicant

Tool

• Assessment Questionnaire
• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Adult Attachment Interview Questions
• AAI articles
• Genogram
• Chronology
• Recent Life Events Questionnaire (Assessment Framework)
• Assessment Framework Adult Wellbeing Scale

3. Relationships/partnerships

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Relationships Form
• Ecomap
• Sex and Sexuality
• Assessment of Lesbian / Gay Relationships

4. Applicant(s)' support networks

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Ecomap
• Support Systems

5. Children in applicant(s)' household

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Child Development
• Children’s Understanding of Adoption
• Family Talk (BAAF)
• CDRom / book- Bridget’s Journey (for work with birth children)

6. Other adult members of the household

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes

7. Childlessness/limitation of family size

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Infertility
• Loss
• ‘Going through the motions’ article by adoptive mother
• Motivation to adopt
• Expectations
• ‘What I am hoping for’ exercise
• Dream Child exercise
• Experiential exercise ‘Joining a new family’
• Dan Hughes Video

8. Description of family lifestyle

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• 24 hour Diary
• Day in the life of now & with children
• What my family will look like in 5/10 years time exercise
• Dan Hughes Video
• Children Talking Video
• Alcohol Use Questionnaire (Assessment Framework)

9. Valuing diversity

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Experiential exercise ‘What is it like to be white?’

10. Parenting capacity

Tool

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Parenting Capacity
• Parenting Daily Hassles
• Discipline
• Disruption (associated factors)
• Arrangements in the event of incapacity / death
• Children Talking Video
• Contact articles
• Identity experiential exercises
• Contact Video
• Child observation

11. Agency support/financial considerations

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Adoption Support Plan
• Support Systems
• Health & Safety Checklist
• Leave / work arrangements
• Financial Assessment

12. Placement and post-placement considerations

Tools

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Adoption as Lifelong Process
• Matching Considerations / What Can You Consider?
• Case Studies
• Child Profiles
• Contact Video
• Identity ‘Joining a new family’ & other experiential exercises

13. Post adoption and post placement

Tools

• BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report Guidance Notes
• Disruption (associated factors)
• Contact articles
• Contact Video

The assessment process is a learning opportunity for applicants. It is acknowledged that people learn in different ways and hence a variety of tools should be available for use during the assessment.

See Dfes Preparing and Assessing Prospective Adopters Practice Guidance and BAAF Making Good Assessments Latests BAAF Publications List

Notebook

The assessment of prospective adopters is a significant piece of work, which generates a vast amount of information. Assessing Social Workers should keep a notebook of information, observations and thoughts gleaned during each session. These notes should be written either during the session or immediately afterwards. Time should be allowed for this in planning sessions.

The notebook should be brought to supervision sessions and discussed with Practice Manager to assess and process content. Assessments should be discussed in supervision at least every 6 weeks, and an agreement reached as to recording requirements.

The date and aspects covered in each assessment session should be recorded on Carefirst Casenotes.

Completion of Prospective Adopter’s Report/Supervision of the Assessment

The assessment of prospective adopters is a highly complex and demanding assessment. In acknowledgement of this the responsibility for the recommendation is to be shared between the assessing Social Worker and supervising practice Manager.

Supervision of assessments will be offered as discrete sessions to ensure that adequate attention is paid to the information gathered, its analysis, presentation and final recommendation.

The assessment will start with the assessing Social Worker and supervising practice Manager going through the learning logs from the Motivation to Adopt and Preparation Groups. This will identify areas of learning still to be consolidated and help focus the assessment on specific areas. This can be shared at the joint initial appointment visit.

The supervising practice Manager will agree with the assessing Social Worker when they will provide the main profile section of the Prospective Adopter’s Report (usually after 4/6 sessions, sections 1-5 of Part 2). The assessing Social Worker and supervising practice Manager will go through the profile in supervision and agree the areas requiring further assessment. It is useful to share the profile with the applicants at this stage to correct factual inaccuracies. The supervision schedule will be determined after this session on the basis of the focus of the remaining sessions. It will also be necessary to discuss in supervision the number and choice of referees to visit in order to evidence certain aspects of the assessment. Additional referees may be useful to visit/call to verify a certain area rather than undertake the entire referee interview. These sessions will be written up and together the assessing Social Worker and supervising practice Manager will determine the strengths and areas of potential difficulty in the application and arrive at a recommendation.

A completed BAAF Prospective Adopter’s Report, JAS Checklist & Front Sheet (checklist) of Information for Panel (see attached), photograph of applicants and all supporting evidence should be passed to the Practice Manager who is to undertake the Second Opinion Report on the prospective adopters, in advance of the second opinion meeting being set up.

Applicants should be given a copy of the Prospective Adopter’s Report 10 days before the report is to be presented to Panel, for comment. Applicants can correct factual inaccuracies they may identify in the Prospective Adopter Report. Should they have issues with the analysis or recommendation they may prepare a report to accompany the Prospective Adopter Report to Panel. The applicants must sign the Prospective Adopter’s Report and return the signed page to the Social Worker before papers are sent to Panel.

An off line Practice Manager will produce a Second Opinion Report following their meeting with the applicants. The report will address the identified areas of strength and potential difficulties, feedback from the applicants on their experience of the assessment process and any other issues arising from the prospective adopter report. The second opinion report will be presented to Panel alongside the Prospective Adopter’s Report.

See: Arranging to Present Cases to Adoption and Permanence Panel - to follow regarding the administrative arrangements required before the Panel meeting and the checklist set out below, which will need to be completed and sent to the Panel Administrator.

Complaints and Representations

Should issues arise in the course of the assessment which questions the appropriateness of proceeding with the assessment, the Social Worker (in conjunction with Practice Manager/Service Manager) should share the concerns Adoption and Permanence Panel Procedures for the procedure to be followed in these circumstances. Leaflets for applicants are available from the Professional Adviser to Panel.

Should applicants have a complaint with the manner in which the assessment was conducted they should be offered a complaints leaflet or referred to the Complaints and Standards Team.

Following approval as prospective adopters a meeting should be arranged and the Post Approval Pack shared with the prospective adopters. This builds on information shared during the preparation and assessment phase and seeks to prepare prospective adopters for the linking and matching phase of the process. The prospective adopters will sign the Prospective Adopter Agreement at this meeting.

End