Adoption panels provide advice to adoption agencies. They provide guidance such as whether someone is suitable to adopt a particular child.
An adoption panel has two main jobs. The panel assesses whether people who want to adopt a child are suitable. They also ‘match’ a child with a suitable adoptive parent for that child. Adoption panels also provide advice about support plans for children. This helps to ensure that they have enough support when they go to live with their adoptive family.
An adoption agency does not have to follow the advice of the adoption panel. The agency decision maker within the adoption agency makes the final decision, but should take the guidance into account.