Receiving a service
What if I have a disability? Is additional assistance available?
What about issues of language and culture?
Does every agency give the same service?
Can the adopted person always be found?
Could I be refused an intermediary service?
What can I do if I am refused an intermediary service?
How long will I have to wait?
This is an important question to ask the agency when you request an intermediary service. The waiting time cannot be predicted exactly, as it will depend on demand and the resources available in the agency you have chosen. However, we know that the majority of agencies operate a waiting list, and some can be just for a short time while others could be well over 12 months.
Also, the agency has to contact the agency that arranged the adoption to find out their views about whether or not an intermediary service should be offered, and whether the adopted person has registered a veto for contact. This can make the waiting time much longer in the event that the agency approached also has a long waiting list. If the agency you first approach has a long waiting list you may wish to find another one that could provide a service sooner.
Will I have to pay?
There are heavy resource implications for some aspects of an intermediary service, particularly in relation to searching for the adopted person’s current whereabouts. Hence most agencies have no choice but to charge the birth relative a fee to cover the cost of the search and contact service. In view of this, when you first make your enquiry, you may wish to compare both the charges and the waiting times of several intermediary agencies beforehand.
What if I have a disability? Is additional assistance available?
Yes, all agencies should have an Equal Opportunities Policy and the facilities and resources to provide a service which meets the needs of people with a disability. The term “disability” can be interpreted widely to include difficulties with reading, writing, mobility, problems with mental and physical health, welfare and learning difficulties. It is important that you ask about this when you contact the intermediary agency.
What about issues of language and culture?
Agencies should respond appropriately to all users of their services, for example, with regards to the need for translation and interpretation. Again this will be addressed within their Equal Opportunities Policy. If you need access to translation services, then let the intermediary agency know who should be able to help you with this.
Does every agency give the same service?
The availability of resources and agency policies may differ, and this can affect the service you receive. It is important that you discuss this when you make contact with the agency that you have chosen to help you.
Can the adopted person always be found?
Not always. Sometimes it may be impossible to find somebody, or an agency may not have the resources to pursue the search beyond a certain point. The agency will tell you if they cannot take the search any further and may in some cases suggest another agency with additional resources that might be able to make further enquiries. It is important to appreciate that whenever a search is made it may result in you learning that the adopted person has died or is very unwell. Your worker will discuss such possibilities with you.
Could I be refused an intermediary service?
Yes. There is no obligation on an intermediary agency to provide a service, although it must act in a way that is consistent with its Statement of Purpose. Under the National Minimum Standards for Adoption Support Agencies, local authorities have a duty to assess the need for adoption support services of, among others, adopted adults and their birth parents and former guardians living in the local authority’s area, but there is no obligation to provide a particular service to any individual.
Some voluntary agencies may only be able to provide a service if the adoption was arranged through them. However, they will still be able to advise you of where to obtain a service if they are not able to help you themselves. Sometimes an agency that has taken up your application may decide not to continue if they learn that to do so may put the adopted person or their family at risk or if information is discovered that indicates it would be unwise to contact the adopted person.
What can I do if I am refused an intermediary service?
All registered adoption agencies, registered adoption support agencies and RAA and local authorities are required to have a complaints procedure which they make available to users of their services. You could make use of this procedure, and you may also be able to complain to the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) or National Assembly for Wales which has regulatory responsibility for inspecting against the National Minimum Standards. In the case of a local authority, you may be able to make an approach to your local councillor and if you consider the case to have been mismanaged, you may be able to make a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman who investigates allegations of maladministration.
