Home Assessment

[Jeanie14]

Hi. We're currently undergoing the Home Assessment and have had 8 visits so far from our Social Worker. We were expecting around 10 visits but SW has indicted weekly visits for some time yet. We've also had an awful lot of written homework. We don't mind the work and the assessment will take as long as it takes and we've no problems at all with that, especially as soon far it's been a good experience. Just wondering if this is on a par with others experience. We've spoken to adopters in near by local authorities who only had 8 visits total and very little written work expected of them. Just wondered what the 'norm' is? Many thanks

[howmanyusernames]

We have our 8th visit tomorrow, which he said would be the last, then we hope to go to panel early February. Between now and then he'll meet our references, but think that's about it. Our visits normally last a couple of hours.
Homework wise, he would email us sheets to go through but would then just ask us the same questions when he came. The chronology stuff was the only homework we did before he came as we wanted to get all the dates right.

[Jellycatspyjamas]

Where are you in the uk? The process in Scotland and northe. Ireland is different to the rest of the uk and can be a bit more involved and much longer.

[Jeanie14]

Thanks guys. We're in Scotland and it certainly does seem a bit different to other parts of the uk. Our appointments last about 3 hours and I've just printed off 60 odd pages of 'homework'. It's not a problem, it just seems like a lot compared to other people's experiences. I guess the easy answer is to ask SW to outline how many more visits they expect to do.

Appreciate the responses 👍

[hidinginthenightgarden]

We had 7/8, 4-5 hour sessions. We are in England.

[Jellycatspyjamas]

I'm in Scotland and in the normal scheme of things I think it tends to run somewhere between 8-14/15 visits depending on the local authority. Ours was different in that it went on for a very long time - there were complications in our personal life that extended the process quite a bit.

In saying that, I don't know many people who went from initial enquiry to child walking through the door in less than 2.5 years either working through the approval process or waiting for a match.

Our appointments were about 2 hours long - maybe have a think about how chatty you both are? My DH could chat for Scotland, had he been more succinct our sessions would have been shorter.

[Chicklette]

Scotland is usually about 4 or 5 months with fortnightly visits as far as I know with quite a bit of home work.

[Jeanie14]

Thanks for the replies. Visits have been weekly so far, next visit is the 9th and I'll ask SW for an outline of what's still to cover and timescales. We've already been told if all goes well panel should be March. I've just ordered ink cartridges as the printer is taking a pummeling 😄

[Flower20166]

I’ve only had to write a pen picture. No other homework..I’m in England.
Good luck with the rest of your assessment!

[thomassmuggit]

Ours was in England, stage 1 involved completing a massive workbook, that formed the basis for stage 2. First time, stage 2 was about 10 weeks or so, second time about 5 weeks or so, for the updated PAR.