During two visits to your home, the Adoption First Steps Social Worker will assess your suitability against an assessment framework which is outlined in the AFS Contract. They will talk to you individually and as a couple in depth about inter-country adoption. This includes the age range, gender and health characteristics of a child or children you may be suitable to adopt. They will also do a Home Safety Assessment to see if your home is appropriate.
The assessment framework covers a range of matters including:
- Personal profile information supplied by you such as your family situation, health, interests, values
- Your parenting skills including your readiness and ability to meet the developmental needs of a child from another country
- Approach to parenting such as flexibility, child-centredness, empathy and responsiveness
- Marital status/relationships
- Your reasons for wanting to adopt
- Experience with children
- Education, employment
- Your home and community environment
- Your financial situation
- Available support
Based on this Assessment process the AFS Social worker will determine whether you are capable and ready to meet the needs of a child adopted from another country. The decision on whether to approve you as suitable is made bv the Social Worker with the rationale for this discussed with a Social Worker Supervisor.
If you meet the criteria they will specify a suitable age range, gender, health characteristics and number of children from a particular country and advise the New Zealand Government’s Central Authority of this. Most countries - Chile, India, Philippines and Thailand - now also require psychological reports and the requirements for each country vary. AFS does not recommend or support any particular psychologist or practice but can provide details of practicing psychologists, including some who have undertaken these reports for inter-country adoption. You will need to organise and pay separately for a psychological report if it is needed as it has to be included in the next step, Home Study Report. Contact Us >>