9.4 Post Placement Reporting
9.4.1 Objectives of Post Placement reporting
The provision of Post Placement Reports to the sending country is vitally important to continued success of any adoption programme.
The objectives of post placement reports are:
to enable accurate feedback to SENAME about how the child is adapting to life in their new family and country, and to monitor the family situation.
to provide an opportunity for the family to discuss and review the adjustments made and issues that may have arisen since the child came to live with them. Any needs identified for counselling or support can be identified and assistance offered.
for the ongoing benefit of the parties involved in intercountry adoption, the findings of post-placement reporting can:
improve public opinion on intercountry adoption,
improve preparation of children for adoption,
benchmark rates of success between countries, and;
assist research studies on the long term effects apparent in children adopted from overseas countries
Long term effects identified by such studies could include any number of trends and characteristics, in areas such as physical, emotional, educational and social development and behaviour. Features identified by long term research may be common to specific overseas countries of origin, e.g. particular health issues, and such information could be beneficial to future adoptive parents, medical authorities, etc.
9.4.2 Consent to Post Placement Reporting
As part of the adoption process, ‘Compassion for Orphans’ requires applicants to sign a ‘Consent to Post Placement Reporting by Accredited Body’ which is witnessed by a Solicitor of the High Court.
This consent form encapsulates the following:
An acknowledgement by the applicants that the Chilean Central Authority, as a condition of the Adoption, requires progress reports to be completed on the child and the child’s circumstances.
That there are to be six reports completed at the following times:
1 report 6 months after the arrival of the child in New Zealand.
1 report 12 months after the arrival of the child in New Zealand.
1 report 18 months after the arrival of the child in New Zealand.
1 report 24 months after the arrival of the child in New Zealand.
1 report 36 months after the arrival of the child in New Zealand.
1 report 48 months after the arrival of the child in New Zealand.
That ‘Compassion for Orphans’ undertakes to complete the post placement reporting at the required times and to forward copies of the post placement reports to the New Zealand and Chilean Central Authorities.
That applicants consent to:
‘Compassion for Orphans’ completing the post placement reporting and providing copies to the New Zealand and Chilean Central Authorities.
Permitting ‘Compassion for Orphans’ to enter their home, and providing all requested information to ‘Compassion for Orphans’, to enable a social worker from ‘Compassion for Orphans’ to undertake the reporting.
Collection, storage, use and release of information about them and the child for the purpose of these reports.
9.4.3 Post-Placement Reports Information Typically Included
Post-Placement Reports will typically include the following information:
birth name and gender of the child
any changes to the name of child by adoptive parents
names of the adoptive parents
dates of social worker visits to family
dates of office visits by the family
social worker contact with the child’s school or other relevant community agencies
general comments – any medical concerns
any serious illness
any paediatric examination
results of any post arrival medical exams/treatment
- Development, e.g. emotional, social, intellectual, physical, language.
progress in the child’s development
assistance being given to develop the child’s language skills
overall development – language, sleep, favourite activities, family/peer relationships, schooling, other emotional and social development
Adoptive Parent’s perspective
the interaction and attachment between the child and the adoptive parents
the interaction and attachment between the child and other family members, e.g. adoptive siblings, grandparents, etc
family handling of any racial prejudice
any relationship difficulties/future development
- comments on the parenting skills of the adoptive parents and their abilities to understand and meet the special needs of the child
child’s awareness of adoption, child’s birth family, early history, integration of past experience with present situation, separation trauma
child’s culture and future plans to accommodate this
contact with other adopted families
- Provision of any photographs with captions translated.
- An overall evaluation of the placement and prognosis for the future.
