Highly rewarding and worth the hard work
Jane Farrer and Andrea Watkins are social workers in the adoption team at Merton local authority in southwest London. Merton is currently assessing 12 families, including single prospective adopters and one same-sex couple. Andrea is assessing three families herself, and Jane is assessing one family who wishes to adopt a specific child. They answer Be My Parent’s questions about the process and their work assessing prospective adopters...
Social workers are looking for a good 'fit' between a child and a family
What is your role as the assessing social worker?
Our general role is to recruit, assess, and train prospective adopters. Our specific role is to establish the suitability of the applicant, which is achieved through the relationship that is established with them, as well as the ability to identify and then analyse the relevant information.
How does your agency decide whether to take on a family?
We consider a range of factors when deciding to approve adopters, all of which are relevant to the assessment of their ability to provide stability, warmth and compassion to children who have come through the care system. These qualities are demonstrated by their ability to reflect on their own experiences and understand how these have impacted on the people that they are today. We are looking for people who can be open and flexible, and have an ability to embrace the complex needs of children. We try to take on people who have explored adoption to some extent, and have some idea of the complexities they will face when a child is placed. We want families who have space to look after a child both emotionally and physically.
Prospective families should have robust support networks, and an ability to demonstrate positive lasting relationships.
How long does the approval process take?
We advise prospective adopters in line with the Statutory Adoption Guidance, which says that the approval process should be completed within eight months of the receipt of the formal application.
There can be delays, for example, if applicants have health concerns, or have suffered a bereavement of a close friend or family member, or if any new information comes to light during the assessment. Further training or counselling is required in some cases. We are open and honest about any reasons for assessment delay, and maintain good communication with families.
What is the most challenging part of the process for adopters?
The entire process is very challenging for adopters. Having to speak to a stranger about the personal details of one’s life is very daunting. Some adopters find the period of time after being approved by the adoption panel, and whilst waiting to be matched with a child, extremely difficult. Merton offers post-approval training for families at this stage, to provide ongoing support and an opportunity to liaise with other adopters. We have had very positive feedback from adopters about this training, and would recommend that it be made available for all prospective adopters.
What are the most challenging and the best parts of your job?
Writing the assessment report and being able to reflect the family in a realistic but positive light is an acquired skill, and takes a great deal of time and effort.
The best part of our job is building relationships, and moving people on from being approved as an adopter to being matched with a child.
Knowing that we have achieved permanency for a child is highly rewarding and worth the hard work!
As told to Emily Pearce
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Originally published in the Be My Parent newspaper in November 2011.
This article is published with the kind permission of the people involved. You may download it for your own reference but if you wish to use it for any other purpose, please contact Be My Parent for authorisation: Be My Parent, BAAF, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Telephone: 020 7421 2666.
Last updated: 28 October 11
