If you’re applying to foster or adopt, it’s important that you understand the medical assessment process involved. In today’s blog, we’re explaining why fostering and adoption medicals are needed, and detailing what agencies look for and how assessments are conducted.
Read on for our guide to understanding the medical assessment process in fostering and adoption.
Why Are Medical Assessments Needed?
All potential foster carers and adopters must undergo a medical assessment as part of the fostering or adoption process.
If you’re looking to foster or planning to adopt, you may think that the medical is all about ensuring you’re healthy enough to look after a child, and while this is true, it’s equally as important for making sure that a child placed with you wouldn’t negatively impact your health.
Assessments help to ensure children are placed in healthy families, while also protecting the health and wellbeing of foster carers and adopters.
Medical assessments provide an in-depth overview of the health of a potential carer or potential adopter, to highlight any potential issues or concerns that may need addressing to move forward. This helps fostering and adoption agencies and local authorities make a decision about approval, and also identify areas in which carers or adopters may need support.
What’s Involved in a Fostering or Adoption Medical?
During a fostering or adoption medical, your medical records will be reviewed by a GP. You would typically then be required to attend an in-person appointment, for a physical examination, and basic health checks. This gives the doctor an overview of both your current health and any past medical issues.
Regardless of whether you’re planning to foster or adopt, agencies and local authorities want to know that you can provide a safe, stable home for vulnerable children, without compromising your own health and wellbeing.
However, the purpose of the medical isn’t to exclude applicants who have experienced health setbacks, but to ensure that any health issues are either resolved or well-managed, and that fostering or adoption won’t exacerbate them further.
Fostering and adoption agencies want to be sure that you’re currently in good health, however that looks for you, and that you’re likely to remain in similar good health for the foreseeable future.
What Happens When Health Concerns Are Identified During a Medical?
If, during your medical for fostering or adoption, health issues are identified, you may be referred for further investigations or treatment, as appropriate.
Alternatively, you may be asked to take steps to improve your health as part of your approval process. This might be something like increasing your physical activity, stopping smoking or ensuring you take any regular medications as prescribed.
Can I Foster or Adopt With an Existing Health Condition or Disability?
Yes it’s possible to foster or adopt if you have an existing medical condition or disability. Foster carers and adopters aren’t expected to be in perfect health, and there are many carers and adopters living with chronic health conditions or disabilities.
If you have a known health condition or disability, the medical assessment will look at how this currently affects your day-to-day life, whether or not your condition is stable, and any treatment, therapy or medication you’re currently having.
As part of the assessment process, the GP will want to understand how you manage your condition or disability, and what kind of support or adaptations you already have in place. You may be asked to consider how you would cope if your condition deteriorated or your health suddenly declined and what kind of plans you might need to put in place should this happen.
All of this can all be discussed during your medical, and with your assessing agency afterwards.
Who Carries Out Fostering or Adoption Medicals?
Fostering or adoption medicals must be carried out by a GP. A GP (General Practitioner) is a fully-qualified doctor who is a consultant in general medical practice.
The medical assessment may be done by your own GP (family doctor) or by a specialist GP chosen by the agency undertaking your assessment to become a foster carer or adopter.
While any GP can complete the medical assessment, it’s important to note that the completion of fostering or adoption reports or medicals isn’t an NHS Service. This means that GPs aren’t obligated to perform this work, and they may charge a fee for undertaking the assessment or compiling a report.
Additionally, while delays can lead to potential foster carers and adopters waiting unnecessarily, the completion of assessments, referrals or reports may not be considered a high priority.
This is why some agencies and local authorities prefer to use independent services, such as ours, to ensure that fostering and adoption medicals are undertaken in a timely manner.
Orr Medical – Professional Medicals For Fostering and Adoption
At Orr Medical, we pride ourselves on the efficiency of our service without compromising on quality. We have over a decade of experience in providing comprehensive, professional and timely medical reports for fostering and adoption.
Learn more about us or the services we offer or get in touch today to find out how we can help.