5.1.1 Adoption Values and Principles

Values - Children

• The child’s welfare, safety and needs are at the centre of the adoption process.
• Adopted children should have an enjoyable childhood, and benefit from excellent parenting and education, enjoying a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and skills leading to a successful adult life.
• Children are entitled to grow up as part of a loving family that can meet their developmental needs during childhood and beyond.
• Children’s wishes and feelings are important and will be actively sought and fully taken into account at all stages of the adoption process.
• Delays should be avoided as they can have a severe impact on the health and development of the children waiting to be adopted.
• A sense of identity is important to a child’s well-being. To help children develop this, their ethnic origin, cultural background, religion, language and sexuality need to be properly recognised and positively valued and promoted.
• The particular needs of disabled children and children with complex needs will be fully recognised and taken into account.
• Where a child cannot be cared for in a suitable manner in their own country, inter country adoption may be considered as an alternative means of providing a permanent family.
• Children, birth parents/guardians and families and adoptive parents and families will be valued and respected.
• A genuine partnership between all those involved in adoption is essential for the NMS to deliver the best outcomes for children; this includes the Government, local government, other statutory agencies, Voluntary Adoption Agencies and Adoption Support Agencies.

Values - Adopted Adults and Birth Relatives

• Adoption is an evolving life-long process for all those involved - adopted adults, and birth and adoptive relatives. The fundamental issues raised by adoption may reverberate and resurface at different times and stages throughout an individual’s life.
• Adopted people should have access to information and services to enable them to address adoption related matters throughout their life.
• Agencies have a duty to provide services that considers the welfare of all parties involved and should consider the implications of decisions and actions for everyone involved.
• Agencies should seek to work in partnership with all parties involved, taking account of their views and wishes in decision-making.
• Agencies should acknowledge differences in people’s circumstances and establish policies that provide non-discriminatory services.
• Adopted adults have their adoptive identity safeguarded and the right to decide whether to be involved in contact or communication with birth family members.

The Welfare Checklist 

Section 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 provides that whenever a court or adoption agency is coming to a decision relating to the adoption of a child, it must have regard to the following matters (among others) -

1. The child's ascertainable wishes and feelings regarding the decision (considered in the light of the child's age and understanding),
2. The child's particular needs
3. The likely effect on the child (throughout his life) of having ceased to be a member of the original family and become an adopted person
4. The child's age, sex, background and any of the child's characteristics which the court or agency considers relevant,
5. Any harm (within the meaning of the Children Act 1989) which the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering,
6. The relationship which the child has with relatives and with any other person in relation to whom the court or agency considers the relationship to be relevant, including -
   1. The likelihood of any such relationship continuing and the value to the child of its doing so,
   2. The ability and willingness of any of the child's relatives, or of any such person, to provide the child with a secure environment in which the child can develop, and otherwise to meet the child's needs
   3. The wishes and feelings of any of the child's relatives, or of any such person, regarding the child.

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