Sound checks and references are of key importance in assessing alternative family carers. They do not “stand alone” but are something which should influence the whole assessment.
Applicants to foster or adopt, or prospective kinship carers, will sometimes have lived or spent significant periods of their lives overseas, and/or may have been born abroad and lived most of their lives outwith the UK. This can raise particular challenges: for example, some countries may not have well-developed systems for checking criminal or social services records, leaving gaps in the available information. While it is clearly necessary to try to discover if information is held in another country that might make an applicant unsuitable, at the same time it is also important that an application is not unreasonably delayed, or a significant amount of time and resources are spent on that aspect of the assessment at the expense of other areas.
Agencies should have policies and procedures to help them with this aspect of decision-making which are flexible enough to allow judgement on a case-by-case basis given the wide variety of circumstances that can be encountered.
Where someone has lived abroad for a period and a decision has been made not to undertake or pursue a formal check where it does not seem to be available, this should be recorded within the assessment report.
It is also important to remember that a clear police check or certificate of good conduct, like a criminal record check, will only show that the applicant has not been cautioned or convicted of an offence and does not mean by itself that they are suitable for the role.
It can be helpful to contact the UK Embassy for the country to ask advice on how best to get police checks from abroad (for example asking the French Embassy in London for advice on how to get French police checks).
Process
A helpful outline is provided by Paul Adams in “Undertaking Checks and References in Fostering and Adoption Assessments” – Chapter 9 covers this area and also provides useable examples. (Undertaking checks and references in fostering and adoption assessments | CoramBAAF)
Where there are gaps in information
There are other avenues that can be pursued if a formal check is unavailable. Employer checks/references, ex-partner checks and personal references can be useful sources of information in these circumstances.
It is also important to keep in mind the wider picture which emerges from the whole assessment and whether there are other gaps, or it provides any other information that raises concerns. If not, this could mitigate against pursuing a check if the process becomes particularly difficult or long drawn out. If there are any concerns, it is better to err on the safe side even if this makes the assessment protracted.
Kinship carers living abroad
CFAB has produced a helpful factsheet for prospective kinship carers:
Intercounty Adoption
The Scottish Government website has useful information for prospective adopters who are considering adopting a child from abroad (Adopt a child from abroad – mygov.scot)
CORAMIAC Intercounty Adoption Centre is a charity who can support families living in England and Wales who wish to adopt a child from out with the UK Their website has useful information relating to Intercountry Adoption (Coram IAC: Intercountry Adoption Centre)
CoramBAAF Outbound Permanence Service (outbound@corambaaf.org.uk) offers an advice and information service to Local Authorities on Convention and Non Convention Adoption, Special Guardianship and Undertaking an Overseas Viability
Other useful resources
Where an applicant has served with the British Forces in Western Europe, it would be good practice to undertake a check with the organisation providing social services for them.
Before November 2014 this was SSAFA:
SSAFA Vetting Department, Queen Elizabeth House, 4 St. Dunstan’s Hill, London EC3R 8AD
0207 463 9316
Email: vetting@ssafa.org.uk
After November 2014 this passed to Core Assets:
Core Assets Children’s Services, British Forces Social Work Service, Saxon Mews, Saxon Business Park, Hanbury Road, Bromsgrove B60 4AD
Tel: 01527 57162
Email: childrensservices@coreassets
Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) is the UK member of International Social Services and they have lots of useful resources and an advice line http://www.cfab.org.uk
PN 60 (2015) Undertaking Overseas Checks in Fostering and Adoption Assessments – No longer published by CoramBAAF but many agencies still have copies. The Regulations referred to are the English ones but there is good advice on weighing up the various considerations where there are gaps in information.
AFKA also hosts an Intercountry Adoption Community of Practice (Member only Forum) which meets three times per year. This forum provides practitioners with an opportunity to share their experiences, knowledge and develop good practice in matters relating to Intercountry Adoption. For more details contact info@afkascotland.org.