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Medical information required

Anyone wishing to become a long term foster carer or a prospective adopter must undertake a BAAF Report Form AH, unless the agency medical adviser has given an exemption.

Prospective Adopter(s) and Long-Term Foster Carers

Once an application to adopt has been received by the Department, the medical examination and BAAF Report Form AH can be completed.

This can often be left until partway through the Form F Assessment to avoid possible unnecessary expenditure unless there is a medical condition that requires an early opinion from the agency medical adviser regarding suitability to adopt.

The Department should send the BAAF Report Form AH with a covering letter to the agency medical adviser once the GP or applicant returns the completed Form AH Report. A double GP appointment for each applicant is usually required. The Department will meet the costs of AH medicals for prospective long term foster carers, however applicants wishing to adopt must be informed that they, not the Department, will meet the cost of this medical.

The medical adviser will consider the report from the GP and may request any further information they consider appropriate. The medical adviser will write a summary report, which will be sent to the assessing social worker. This report only will be included in the BAAF Form F for submission to the Adoption and Permanency Panel.

Medicals should be updated every two years using a BAAF Form AH2 unless a more frequent review is recommended by the medical adviser.

AH medicals are required to be valid and within the two year time frame at the point of lodging an adoption application in Court. It is not necessary to complete any further medicals once an adoption application has been lodged.

When a match is identified

It may be appropriate for the prospective adopters/long term foster carers to meet with either the agency medical adviser or with the child's paediatrician. This should take place following a Matching Consideration Meeting and as part of the sharing of information stage.

Full medical information regarding a child must be shared with the prospective adopters/long term foster carers. Social workers are not qualified medical practitioners and if there are any medical issues, including developmental delay, these must be explained by a qualified medical professional.

Matching at panel

The medical adviser's Summary Report Part C will need to be included with the Child Permanence Report, Adoption Placement Report and Prospective Adopters Report.