Independent Review Mechanism
The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) in England became operational on 30 April 2004 and is run by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.
The IRM was established to help to build public confidence in the adoption service, particularly in the adopter assessment process. Where an adoption agency has decided not to recommend them as suitable to adopt, the IRM gives prospective adopters the option to have their case reviewed by an independent panel. Such a decision by an adoption agency is known as a 'qualifying determination'.
The IRM is available both to prospective adopters who wish to adopt a child from the UK and intercountry adopters.
For more information visit the IRM website or read Annex D in the statutory guidance relating to Children and Adoption Act 2004.
Function of the independent review panel
The independent review panel can only consider requests for review where a 'qualifying determination' on the prospective adopter's suitability to adopt a child has been made.
The review panel can only consider suitability to adopt in general; it cannot make a recommendation in connection with a specific child.
The function of the review panel is to consider the case anew and to make a fresh recommendation to the agency. The agency's decision-maker will then consider both the original panel's recommendation and the review panel's recommendation before coming to a decision.
Documents
The
Review of the IRM and Adoption Register - a report by
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Independent
Review Mechanism (England) End of Year One Statement - 2004-05
Independent
Review Mechanism (England) (Suitability to Adopt a Child) End of Year Two
Statement - 2005-06
Independent
Review Mechanism (England) (Suitability to Adopt a Child) End of Year Three
Statement - 2006-07
Independent
Review Mechanism (England) (Suitability to Adopt a Child) End of Year Four
Statement - 2007-08
Independent Review Mechanism: An overview report - 2004-08
(PDF version)
Independent Review Mechanism: An overview report - 2004-08
(Word version)
This page was last updated on 30 September 2008
