The Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Act 1999 is now on the UK statute books. The all-important regulations and guidance, which will govern how the Act actually works, will be available for public consultation [in 2001], and laid before Parliament for approval [sometime later].
Many couples starting out on the road to intercountry adoption turn first to the social services department of their local authority to commission a home study report. Indeed, the UK Government’s 1998 Circular says that all LAs should ensure that arrangements are in place for home studies to be carried out. More recently, the Government has said that it wants prospective inter country adopters to have a choice about whom they may approach to be assessed. This is starting to sound promising. One welcome effect of the Act, when it is fully in force, is that voluntary adoption agencies will be able to provide an intercountry adoption service independently of local authorities.
All local authority social services departments automatically qualify to be able to undertake ICA home studies, if they choose to. If they don’t, they must arrange for potential adopters to be referred elsewhere. This is not necessarily the same as giving couples a free choice, but it is progress. In addition to local authorities, so far three voluntary agencies have been approved for home study work. These are Childlink in London, the Doncaster Adoption and Family Welfare Society Ltd., and Parents and Children Together (PACT) in Reading. It’s not clear how far these organisations will roam in terms of geographical coverage for providing home study reports, and any information on that would be useful. Am I alone in thinking that the fact that none of the three currently has a web site is, in this day and age, slightly disconcerting?
The Department of Health, which is responsible for approving these voluntary agencies, says that a further two are in the process of applying for approval. I asked them about the criteria used, and received a 13-page list of some 95 criteria. These appear to prevent any organisation which doesn’t already have a track record in domestic adoption from being approved, so it will be interesting to see whether the present three voluntary agencies are joined by any more in the near future.
* The Law and the Profits * The Other Path * Getting Things Straight
Many other couples starting out on the road to inter country adoption look across the Atlantic. The can-do society offers a multitude of independent but officially recognised adoption agencies, some of which are happy to work with British couples. The states of Texas, Florida, Oregon and Washington for example are all relatively accessible to foreign couples, in that they don’t have onerous residence requirements. As has been pointed out here before, American states do not necessarily require official UK home studies, and may be quite willing to accept home studies done in the UK by independent social workers. This is all perfectly legal, can be vastly quicker than the alternative ensnarement in British and third world bureaucracy, and at the end of the day will result in an offical US adoption which is fully recognised by the UK authorities and will be celebrated by the award of a British passport and entry clearance to the adopted child.
* The Law and the Profits * The Other Path * Getting Things Straight
Potential adopters from Guatemala should be sure to obtain a short but invaluable note called "Guatemalan Adoption Procedures & Processes: as applied to birthmother relinquishments, not abandonments". It includes a general summary of exactly what you need to do to adopt from Guatemala, and two overlapping lists of documents required by the UK and Guatemalan authorities. Stevan Whitehead, veteran of two Guatemalan adoptions, is the public-spirited compiler of this note. He can be contacted at stevanw@netcomuk.co.uk
* The Law and the Profits * The Other Path * Getting Things Straight
Personal views by Andrew Gibbons.
Andrew Gibbons
chairman.afaa@pobox.comPlease note that views expressed in these articels are not necessarly those of the Editor or the Webmaster or of the AFAA Committee.
Patron: His Honor Michael Cook
Registered Charity Number 1003274
Last modified: 15 February, 2004