Review of Prospective Adopter(s) Approval
All prospective adopters whose approval is more than one year old and who do not have a child in placement must have a review at least annually.
Whenever the adoption agency considers it necessary but in any event not more than one year after the prospective adopter has been approved and at intervals of not more than one year thereafter until they have been matched with a child.
Reviews will be carried out by the allocated adoption worker in partnership with the adopter and this will be recorded on the Prospective Adopters Review Form (CS0252F16).
The review will cover the following areas:
See Together for Adoption Procedures Manual, Review of Prospective Adopters' Approval Procedure
- Family or household composition;
- Finances;
- Work commitments;
- Health.
See Together for Adoption Procedures Manual, Review of Prospective Adopters' Approval Procedure
- Police checks (DBS) need to be updated every 2 years
- Adult Health Assessments – are required to be reviewed annually or more frequently if there has been a significant change in health.
- The allocated worker may obtain an updated view from personal references.
- Agency's actions in relation to family finding;
- Anything else that will need to happen before a child can be placed?
- If the adopter has experienced a disruption. The reasons behind this and any further action or learning;
- Should the recommended range of child change?
- Whether the adopter continues to be able to meet the needs of adopted children and whether Hertfordshire would support continued approval.
- What have the prospective adopters learnt from the adoption approval process over the past year?
- Is there anything new that has emerged for the adoption agency since the assessment?
- Has motivation to adopt changed?
The adoption social worker will share the report with the prospective adopters to enable them to be given the opportunity to consider their review report and to make any comments 10 working days before the report is shared with the Adoption Team Manager or panel.
If the recommendation of the review is that Hertfordshire continue to support the prospective adopters approval the Adoption Team manager can agree the recommendation and a copy of the report will be placed on the Prospective Adopters Case Record. The Adoption Team Manager will then confirm in writing to the prospective adopters that they remain suitable to adopt.
5. Where the review raises questions about the Prospective Adopters’ Continuing Suitability to Adopt
If the recommendation of the review of approval is that Hertfordshire do not support the prospective adopter’s continued approval, then a meeting will be arranged. This review meeting will be chaired by the Adoption Team Manager and in attendance will be the adoption social worker and the prospective adopters. It will be explained to the prospective adopters in the review meeting and the adopter’s will be informed of the options available to them. The adopters will then have the opportunity to review and comment on the final report 10 days before it is submitted to panel.
If the prospective adopters decide that they understand the reasons why Hertfordshire no longer support their approval and they are in agreement with this, then a request will submit in writing their decision to withdraw. When the prospective adopters withdrawal notification is received this will receive written notification of receipt and their prospective adoption journey with Hertfordshire will cease.
Where the review identifies the need for a change of approval, the adoption social worker must prepare the Prospective Adopter's Review Report for this purpose and arrangements are to made for the report to be presented to the Panel.
If the review of approval is to be considered by the adoption panel, then the panel will consider the Prospective Adopters Report (PAR), approval minutes, review report, the prospective adopters’ views and any other relevant information requested by panel.
The prospective adopter may attend the Panel or express their views in writing.
The Panel will consider the report and make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker about the prospective adopters' continuing suitability to adopt. AAR 2005 29(7)
The prospective adopters may at any time decide they no longer wish to adopt, in which case the agency will inform the Panel.
The Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters Procedure, The Panel Recommendation and After the Panel Recommendation should then be followed.
The Panel will make a recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker.
The Agency Decision Maker will make a decision following panel’s recommendation within 10 days of receiving the panel’s recommendation minutes as to whether the prospective adopter continues to be suitable to adopt a child. The adopters will be informed of this in writing and of their rights under AAR 2005 section 27 within 5 days of making the decision.
Where the agency makes a qualifying determination that the prospective adopter is no longer suitable to adopt, the Agency Decision Maker will write to them within five working days of making the decision.
The prospective adopter will then have three options
- They may either accept the decision made within 40 working days;
- They may make representations to the agency. This must be in writing and within 40 working days. The Agency decision maker may consider the case again or refer the case back to the adoption panel to make a fresh recommendation for the Agency decision maker to consider;
- The prospective adopter/s may make an application to an independent review panel for a review of the case. To do so, a written application must be provided to the independent review mechanism (IRM) within 40 working days.
Should there be no response from the prospective adopter/s following 40 working days, then the Agency decision maker will write to confirm their decision that they are no longer suitable to adopt.
- If the applicant decides to refer the matter to an Independent Review, the Panel administrator will send the following documents to the Independent Review Panel within 10 working days;
- The relevant Panel reports;
- The prospective adopter's views on the reports;
- The Panel minutes including the record of the decision made with reasons;
- Notification to the prospective adopter;
- Any other information requested;
- Any relevant information about the prospective adopter that the agency obtained after the above information and reports were passed to the Adoption Panel will also be sent.
- The applicant will be invited to attend the Independent Review;
- After considering the representations, the Independent Review may make a recommendation, which the Agency Decision Maker will consider before a final decision is made;
- The Independent Review Panel cannot overturn the agency decision, as it does not have the power to do so;
- The Agency Decision Maker will make the final decision and record the decision, together with reasons, within 7 working days of the receipt of the Independent Review; recommendation. Written notice of the decision, together with reasons, will be sent to the prospective adopters orally within 2 working days and in writing within 7 working days;
- Where the agency decision is different from the recommendation of the Independent Review Panel, the agency must also provide the prospective adopters with information about the Independent Panel's recommendation;
- Where an Independent Review Panel has made a recommendation, the agency must send to the Independent Review Panel Administrator a copy of its decision on the prospective adopter's suitability to adopt;
- A copy of the report to the Adoption Panel, the Adoption Panel's recommendation, the Independent Review Panel's recommendations and the decision to refuse an application must be retained on the applicant's Adoption File.
Last Updated: May 21, 2026
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