The Adoption Agencies (Scotland) Regulations 2009: Scottish Government Response to Consultation

Regulation 8 - Duties of adoption agencies; assessment of prospective adopters (now Regulation 7)

Question 13: Regulation 8 replicates regulation 10 of the 1996 Regulations. Do you have any comments?

The majority of responses were content with this Regulation. Two respondents picked up an incorrect reference to "adoptive parent" in paragraph (4). One response wondered whether the regulation could be amended to deal with situations where, having started an assessment, applicants are effectively "counselled out" as they are unlikely to be approved as they are, for example, undergoing fertility treatment. One respondent asked if "publish" (in relation to an agency's assessment criteria) could be defined.

Scottish Government response/action

The reference to "adoptive parent" has been amended. The matter of dealing with potential adopters who have been "counselled out" of the assessment process is too prescriptive for Regulations and will be covered in guidance. The manner in which an agency publishes its assessment criteria is best left to the discretion of the agency. Standard 18 of the National Care Standards for Adoption Agencies states that an agency will publish details of its adoption services "in a variety of ways, including libraries and online".