Coramiac councils favorite, I can guess why.

[Pigeoncomehome]

Has anyone used an adoption agency here in the UK, this is a complex issue as it will involve our Granddaughter we need an adoption assessment plus a few other things. Our local council is of little help referring us to other agencies but keen to overcharge on things.

@Pigeoncomehome

I don't think its the case of coram being the council's favourite, International adoption can be very complex and expertise is limited.
I would have recommended coram.

Can you say a bit more - who is needing to be assessed, is adoption part of the permanence plan for the child, are you aiming for directed adoption? A bit more info will help people know how to help.

Coram (IAC) are blinkered in adoption. In my case the child is our 3.5 year old granddaughter, the parents are legally divorced dad is the nominated sole parent. He is now openly gay and works on the family farm in Thailand. The child is here in the UK, we are caring for the child. Coram (IAC) input is minimal but require up to £25k to supply an Adoption Assessment, our local council are tied into Coram (IAC) and I believe are not willing to use another agency for various reasons. My question is does anybody on this site know of another agency who can perform an Adoption Assessment here in the UK.

Are they assessing you as potential adopters or the child as being suitable for adoption? What is the issue Coram are being blinkered about?

We my wife and I are the Grandparents to the child in question, the child we wish to adopt.
The child is here in the UK living with us.
The child is not the problem it is Coram who are not reading the narrative.
Coram are not addressing the issue, so to that end unless you are Coram I cannot continue talking to you.

@Pigeoncomehome

What do you mean by blinkered?

I did just do a quick Google and as I thought Coram is the only inter country agency.
You say yourself its a complex case, complexity costs.
From what you have said Im assuming the child is a Thai national. You have to get through with Thai and UK legal systems.

Just for your information about costs. If you are adopting in the UK and are assessed by an agency, when you are matched with a child, the LA pays a fee to the agency.
If I remember rightly the fee charged for me was over £20k and that was 13 years ago.

I hear what you say, however the UK and Thailand have a bilateral agreement on adoption so going through the Thai adoption system is not necessary in this instance. The issue is only complex when needs be in the eyes of Coram.

I’m trying to be of help to you, if I know what the issue is I might be able to point you to someone who can help.

In general international adoption is complex even with bilateral agreements, the fact of someone having parental rights and responsibilities living abroad also complicates things because he either needs to legally relinquish his rights through the court system or have them removed by court, you being the child’s grandparent also adds complication. Placement with relatives would usually be on a kinship basis with or without a Special Guardianship Order, rather than adoption.

No one is trying to be obstructive here. You could engage an independent social worker to undertake an adoption assessment on your behalf, but it would be very costly and the local authority may not accept it.

I hear and appreciate what you say thanks. We have an (international) family solicitor on board, who have issues (not known to me) with Coram. The father has signed a statement in the presence of the solicitor, to the effect of standing down and handing over the child to us. The question of a special guardianship order was raised by me of the solicitor but he said that option was not available in this instance, he did not expand on that statement. I believe Coram are not interested, but they have all the ace cards. Our LA dictate that Coram shall be used regardless which is worrying.

@Pigeoncomehome

And what about the mother?

The Mother cannot be found despite our extensive efforts, we must assume she has teamed up with another man with money.

@Pigeoncomehome
In the UK are parent can't just sign a document 'handing' over a child.

Only a court can remove parental responsibility

The order was made in the court of Thailand signed, stamped by court order.

That’ll be your complication - parents can’t hand over parental rights, only a court can do that and they need to be clear it’s in the child’s interests, even if a parent wants to relinquish parental rights it’s not a straightforward process.

It sounds like you’re stuck with Coram, for better or worse. I’d start by getting the solicitor to explain why a SGO isn’t appropriate in this instance and exploring that route with the local authority. I can’t think why it would be an issue even as an interim measure.

What does the local authority plan to do about your grand daughter’s care given she’s been abandoned by both parents? I’m assuming they’re thinking she’s safe enough so they’ll just kick the can down the road, but I can totally understand you wanting some legal framework to secure her care with you. I’d leave the solicitor alone for a while - they may come in handy once there’s a permanence plan in place be that adoption or whatever. Start with the local authority who legally have corporate parenting responsibility for this child albeit she’s in your care.

I’ve just seen your update re the dad, I’m guessing they’re thinking she’s issue is the child’s mother but that shouldn’t stop an SGO so I’d find out more about why that’s not considered appropriate. Have you had any direct communication with Coram?

Can you apply to a UK court for an SGO? Court would order LA to assess your suitability as Special Guardians. I’m not familiar with the Thai system, but adopting a grandchild in the UK is almost unheard of, it would be an SGO. Does the UK court have jurisdiction over your grandchild?

Thank you for the follow up.
From my understanding because of the bi lateral agreement between the UK and Thailand a court of Law here (UK) could apply a SGO, but my LA are playing games with approving an adoption assessment. I have had conflicting views from the same solicitors one saying Adoption is the only route whilst the other says Adoption or an SGO can be obtained. Bearing in mind that the child is our Granddaughter, this is where Coram (iac) is blinkered and lack knowledge. Whilst rare Grand parents can adopt but SGO is preferred, but that raises a few problems for parental access. The mother is out of the picture the father lives and works in Thailand, the only access would be via a video link. Coram (iac) whilst being the only International Adoption Agency have things buttoned up and can charge what they like and doo, despite being classed as a charitable organisation.

It sounds like you have issues with Coram which people here are unlikely to be able to address. If the UK court has the power to make an SGO that sounds much simpler - even if then you pursue adoption at a later stage.

Yes there are problems with adoption agencies charging high fees for their services, I don’t know Coram well enough because I work in Scotland but I could well believe cost is an issue for the local authority. At the moment your grand daughter is living with you, do you know what form that arrangement is taking, eg how did it come about and did the local authority have any involvement? If not it may be considered an informal fostering arrangement which really should be formalised.

If you want to progress things just now your best bet at this point is to go back to the local authority and have a formal arrangement put in place - probably a kinship care arrangement. That gives you and them time to look at a permanence plan, be that adoption or SGO. They possibly won’t see a need given your daughter is off the scene but I’d want an order securing her placement with you in case your daughter turns up and demands her back, as it stands you’d have no option but to return her so an order would secure her place with you in the short term while the rest of the process goes on.

The other option if adoption is your preferred option in the long run is private adoption. If/once your grand daughter has has been in your care for 3 years (in total, it doesn’t need to be consecutively) you can apply direct to the court to adopt her. So one option would be to just keep going with whatever arrangement is in place until the 3 years is up and then make an application to court. The local authority would then need to do an assessment because the court would require it to process your application. It can be an easier process because residence at that point is well established and you’ll know if your daughter is likely to pop back up, though it does leave uncertainty in the meantime.

I can see how confusing and stressful this all is, while also caring for your grand daughter. It’s lovely she has someone so committed to her.

Thank you for your advice, good luck take care.