Information on specialist assessments withheld - advice needed

[ClArabelle67]

Hello

Has anyone had experience of adoption and finding out later that specialist assessments and diagnosis were withheld?

I've seen people talk about this on the therapeutic parenting page and on Attachment disorder U.K. (parents/carers of children with AD) but have not come across it personally.

@ifchocolatewerecelery, thanks, i’llcheck those pages.my position is particularly difficult, I’m am grandparent but had the children’s under a chair a child arrangment order but could not accept the LAs specialguardian support package without seriously doubt is advancing the children. One of them had specialist assessments for autism and sensory integration prior to adoption and this wasnt included on their matching profile. The plan was for direct contact but the LA changed that after the placement order and refused my request to meet the adopters. When I informed the LA I felt I had no choice but to apply for a contact order they’d produced a letter from the adopters which they have since admitted was fabricated. I’ve had two letters since which suggest the adopters aren’t aware of the assessments or diagnosis. I think again these letters have been fabricated. I have no desire to disrupt the placement. I’ve contacted the GP where the children are registered and sent them the diagnostic reports, they’ve refused to confirm they’ve passed these on. I’m at a loss as to what to do. I’m distraught and know that the seperation from me would have caused them immense harm, and I would have liked to help them make this transition and also ensure the children received the early interventions necessary and recommended. I’m very cross with the LA.

Seems to be a safeguarding issue , perhaps would be best placed contacting the Local Community paediatrician at SEND community disability team via perhaps local health care worker. You can maintain confidentiality this way in best interest of the child.

I think you need to tread carefully here. For whatever reason you have decided that you can't care for these children, so unfortunatley you have lost any rights you had.
Sending reports directly to the GP feels to me like you are massively overstepping boundaries, and although I understand you did it with the best of intentions, I think the GP is acting correctly and if I was the adopter I would be very concerned about your behaviour. If you have done similar things before maybe thats why the plan for contact has changed.
I think you probably should get some legal advice.

@fasparent, that’s a good idea. @ted27, the plan for contact changed because the LA didn’t want the adopters to know about the diagnostic reports, no other reason. If I’m wash an adopter and discovered diagnostics had been withheld, I’d be more upset with the agency than the person providing them. But you are of course entitled to your view.

I'm not saying that you don't have cause for concern but that you should be careful how you approach this , which is why I suggested you get some legal advice

How do you know they haven’t been shared? My expos that information is given incrementally throughout the matching process and I certainly would expect assessments and diagnosis to be contained in a matching profile which usually contains very basic information. That usually comes later in the process in discussion with medics,

Legal advice www.frg.org.uk

@jellycatspyjamas, specialist diagnostics and assessments must be listed both in the care plan and the matching profile. I know that they weren’t as ive seen both. LAs have a duty to be transparent about these matters. It’s not an incremental process.

It’s not an incremental process.

Sharing that information is an incremental process, I’d sincerity hope SW did share every piece of information about a child right from the get go - unless the adopter decides they are serious about the child they don’t have a right to everything. It’s usually a process of information giving, checking all is ok, more information given, all is still ok etc etc in steps and stairs. I understand your concern, and I’m guessing things have moved on in the last couple of months.

What do you think the motive is for SW not sharing diagnosis and assessment information?

I have never heard of anyone being told a diagnosis after several meetings. It is something fundamental that would be mentioned in the first conversation about a child, otherwise the sw would potentially waste everone's time.

I hope you have managed to pass the diagnosis on. It is clearly in the best interest of the child for their adoptive parents to know.

@Yolande7, I emailed it to their GP after speaking with the secretary and let the adopters know it’s with the GP in my last letter. I’m expecting a letter in the next couple of weeks so I guess they will let me know if the little one is now receiving the recommended interventions.

@ClArabelle67 you may need to lower your expectations about letterbox, letters tend to be quite bland

@Ted27, are you a SW or an adopter? If the adopters choose not to respond to what is in the letter regarding his diagnosis that’s their choice. As I understand it, the purpose of letterbox contact is to build up a working relationship.

I’ve contacted the GP where the children are registered and sent them the diagnostic reports, they’ve refused to confirm they’ve passed these on I think the GP is acting properly here not having a dialogue with you but it doesn't mean that they haven't - if you were clear that your belief was that they had not been passed on - plus you have referred to them in a letter to the adopters, it may be that you have done all you need to, hopefully. Were you successful in relation to the contact order or is that ongoing?

I'm an adopter. I used the words 'may' and 'usually' . I don't know any adopter who would give that sort of information in a letter to birth family.
I am on reasonably good terms with my son's birth father, we have direct contact, I have never shared information about the interventions or therapies my son has had.
Adopters have widely different views about contact and what its for

As I understand it, the purpose of letterbox contact is to build up a working relationship.

I’ve never heard that description for letterbox - the adopters don’t need a working relationship with you, letterbox is to give both child and birth family limited news about each other’s lives to support the child in having some sense of continued link to their past and support the birth family to grieve. Letterbox is too sporadic to form a working relationship, if that were needed.

I’d be very surprised if a parent shared details of treatment and therapy with birth family, in plain language you don’t have a right to that information any more as hard as that is.

@jellycatpyjamas you might find this helpful

www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/speech-by-lj-mcfarlane-nagalro.pdf

With regards to your comment about ‘rights’, that is and never was my point. My point is the focus should be on the bests interests of the child, and bearing in mind often adoptive families are not given a full background - and where that information may be useful in terms of supporting the child - then there is no reason why adopters cannot ask questions or provide information. The purpose of post adoption contact is for children to have a link to their past, however difficult adopters might find that, it is the case. Managing the risks and benefits are the adoptive parents responsibility.

@CIArabelle67 I am generally supportive of contact with birth family.

As I said my son has direct contact with his dad, I don't have a problem with that, but I have never and will never share some information with him. I do not and will not have a 'working relationship' with him. I facilitate contact between him and my son, less so now he is 15 and can make his own decisions.
Whether you believe it or not, I think people here are trying to be helpful to you in managing your expectations. You have no idea what the adopters have or haven't been told. Adopters arent stupid, if by some chance they havent been told, I'm quite sure they will notice behaviours in the children themselves.

Sad as it is, you have given up your legal rights with regard to the children. It is now the adopters decision about what is in the best interests of the children, not yours. I'm sorry that you have lost your grandchildren but I really think you need to manage your expectations. If the adopters perceive that you are going to push at boundaries, it will only make them less willing to have contact with you.

The purpose of post adoption contact is for children to have a link to their past, however difficult adopters might find that, it is the case.

I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what I said here

letterbox is to give both child and birth family limited news about each other’s lives to support the child in having some sense of continued link to their past

I’m fully supportive of letterbox contact but wouldn’t use letterbox co tact to tell anyone the treatments or interventions my children need because honestly it’s none of their business. It sounds like you want to monitor the care of the children lost adoption (do the scooters have all the information, they’ll let me know if the children are receiving appropriate interventions), as much as you want to know they’re well cared for, the adopters don’t need to tell you that and most likely wont.

Would contact your solicitor, in law all children have right's , may be there could be areas worth looking at ., such as Gillick Competence, and the Haigh Convention of childrens right's., Would be against child's interest if conditions or diagnosis is with held.

The Hague Convention relates to child abduction, which adoption certainly isn’t.

Gillick competence is about a child's right to consent to medical treatment without their parents' knowledge/permission and is not relevant here.

Children's convention covers lot's of areas including adoption is very complicated as is Gillick Competence , hence I said it is best too consult legal or a third party with knowledge and experience.
Be surprised as to results just by engaging in this pathway for some.
Did follow court case of FASD ., OK did not win but opened up who is responsible for child's long term care for children with life time conditions and their funding. Which all are entitled too pursue now through the courts or LA's agreements.

@fasparent I agree wholeheartedly. Too many parents have to fight for every ounce of support. It should not have to be that way! 😡 Speaking as mum to child with FASD where info was not forthcoming from LA that delayed diagnosis. Also inappropriate interventions offered which caused distress to child.