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  • our-adoption-panel
  1. About us
  2. Meet the team
  3. Our adoption panel

Our adoption panel

In line with statutory requirements, ARC Adoption North East's adoption panel ensures safe and effective care for children who have a plan for adoption.

Following completion of your Prospective Adopter’s Report (PAR) also referred to as a home study assessment, your case will be presented to ARC Adoption’s adoption panel.

The role of the adoption panel is to ensure the highest standards of practice. All adoption services are required to appoint a range of people to a ‘Central List’ of panel members. Panel members have an important role in ensuring that ARC Adoption North East applies the highest possible standards when considering who is suitable to be approved to adopt vulnerable children.

In order for the panel to go ahead a quorum of five members must be present.

ARC Adoption's adoption panel consists of the following members:

  • A Chairperson who is an independent professional who is not employed by ARC Adoption North East and who has a comprehensive understanding and experience of the adoption process.

And/or.

  • A Vice-Chair who does not have to be independent of the agency but may be a social worker with at least three years’ experience in childcare and adoption
  • Independent people with first-hand knowledge of adoption

Examples of other individuals who may be adoption panel members include:

  • An education professional
  • An experienced adopter
  • An adoptee
  • A Medical advisor
  • A Legal advisor
  • Professional advisor to the adoption panel, this is usually the Director or Assistant Director at ARC Adoption. Their role is to inform the panel members of adoption regulations, agency policies and procedures and any business which is relevant to the recruitment and approval of adopters.
  • There is also a panel administrator who takes minutes of the discussion within the adoption panel and who circulates papers. They are also responsible for ensuring that any actions agreed during adoption panel are followed up.
  • There may be occasions when an observer is invited to attend the adoption panel. They play no part in the panel proceedings, they are there in order to gain experience and develop their knowledge and understanding of the adoption process.

 Legal Role of the Adoption Panel

ARC Adoption's adoption panel and decision-maker make timely, quality and appropriate recommendations and decisions in line with the overriding objective; to promote the welfare of children.

 It is the role of the adoption panel to consider the following:

  • Each application for approval as an adopter and recommends to the agency decision maker, whether or not a person is suitable to act as an adopter, within four months of receipt of the prospective adopter’s formal application to be assessed.
  • Where these timescales have not been met, the panel records the reasons in the written minutes of the panel meeting.
  • Where it recommends approval of an application, to recommend to the agency decision maker, the terms of approval to be given.
  • The adoption panel provides a quality assurance feedback to the agency every six months on the quality of reports being presented to the panel.

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  • Virtual Adoption Information Event – Thursday 7th July 2022

    Virtual Adoption Information Event – Thursday 7th July 2022

    Join us at our July online information event to find out more about adoption from our friendly and experienced team. Learn about the adoption process, and hear about the thorough preparation and lifelong support that ARC is proud to provide it's adopters.

  • Virtual Adoption Information Event – Thursday 4th August 2022

    Virtual Adoption Information Event – Thursday 4th August 2022

    Join us at our August online information event to find out more about adoption from our friendly and experienced team. Learn about the adoption process, and hear about the thorough preparation and lifelong support that ARC is proud to provide it's adopters.

  • ARC Coffee Morning - Tuesday 5th July 2022

    ARC Coffee Morning - Tuesday 5th July 2022

    ARC Adoption North East would like to invite their families to join the team for a coffee morning.

Most read

  • How adoption works

    How adoption works

    Adoption is a way of providing new families for children who cannot be looked after by their birth parents and need to belong to a new family.

  • How long does the UK adoption process take?

  • Matching panel

    Matching panel

    Once the family finding process is complete the match will need to be agreed formally by the adoption panel for the child’s agency. If approval is recommended by the adoption panel for the match, the child’s adoption agency decision maker then makes the final decision.

  • Fostering for adoption

    Fostering for adoption

    At ARC Adoption North East are committed to exploring different routes to adoption. ARC Adoption offers an early permanence route, often referred to as fostering for adoption or foster to adopt. Fostering for adoption means that young children, usually babies, are placed at a young age with approved potential adopters who would also be approved temporary foster carers whilst the family court decides on the child’s future.

  • Initial visit

    Initial visit

    Following your initial enquiry, if you would like to progress with the adoption process a member of ARC Adoption North East’s team will visit you in your home. The initial visit will be very informal and take place at a date and time that is convenient for you and will last about two hours. It’s an opportunity to have your questions answered in more detail and help the team get to know you better.

  • Checks and references

    Checks and references

    Stage one of the adoption process begins after you have received some general information, an initial visit at your home and ARC Adoption North East are in receipt of your ‘registration of interest’ from you.

  • Finding the right child for you

    Finding the right child for you

    Once you become an approved adopter, it’s time to start looking for the right child or children that will join your family.

  • Contact us

    Contact us

    At ARC Adoption North East we value your opinion. All compliments, comments and complaints are accepted and considered with the greatest respect. Your feedback is welcomed to help develop ARC Adoption North East’s services.

  • Intercountry adoption

    Intercountry adoption

    ARC Adoption North East is registered with Ofsted to provide inter-country adoption services

  • Adoption statistics and facts

    Here are just a few statistics relating to adoption in the North East of England and the UK as a whole, as well as some facts about who can adopt.

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ARC Adoption North East's office hours:

Monday to Thursday 09:00 until 17:00, and Friday 09:00 until 16:30.

You can also contact us anytime at [email protected]