Adoption in Fife - Home Page

Adoption in Fife | 11This part of the assessment is very detailed and challenging andrequires openness, trust and awareness of your own strengthsand limitations. It can take up to six months to complete andinvolves a series of interviews, with one or two social workersfrom the Family Placement Team.If you have children of your own they will also be fully involvedin the process, within the limits of their age and understanding.Your social worker will need to spend time with them to explainwhat is proposed and to find out how they feel about it, as theirreaction can be crucial to the success or failure of a placement.Deciding if you can adoptOnce your application and assessment has been completed wewill put your application forward to Fife Council’s Adoption andFostering Panel. The panel includes Council staff and severalindependent members who have a variety of experience, tomake sure fair and appropriate decisions are made.You will be invited to attend part of the meeting with your socialworker but it’s entirely your choice as to whether or not to attend.Once the panel has considered all the information, it will make arecommendation which is then considered by a senior manager,as Fife’s agency decision maker. The decision to approve you asa prospective adopter is based solely on your ability to promotethe welfare of a child throughout their life. The welfare of thechild is always at the heart of any decision we make.Unsuccessful applicationsIf you’re not successful your social worker will discuss thereasons with you and let you know about our appeals procedure– more information is available in the fact sheet called FifeCouncil’s Appeals.