Preparing a family profile for adoptive or permanent caregivers

When applicants have been approved as adoptive or permanent caregivers they are invited to submit a profile about themselves. As the profile is a sensitive and important document by which the applicants will be made known to birth parents, it is important that it provides sufficient information about them.

The profile will be the applicants own work. Social workers may wish to guide and to encourage precision and detail, but will not assist with the writing, typing or production.

The profile contains all the information necessary to inform a birthparent/birth family about the applicants, including attitudes regarding contact, set out in a manner which is easy to read.

The profile:

• is current, particularly with regard to any photographs 
• is relevant to the purpose 
• is non-identifying 
• clearly indicates if the applicant is single, or if in a couple, the nature of this relationship, for example, if legally married.

The profile can be best presented in the form of an A4 album, with text and photographs. Sites may have samples to demonstrate make-up and lay-out, pointing out that ‘post-ability’ is a factor. ‘Scrap-books’ with elaborate decorations and objects appended do not post well, are difficult to read for factual information and they distract the attention from the information.

Once the draft profiles have been completed, these will be reviewed by the social worker, who may circulate them to others in the team for comments. The purpose of this is not to impose uniformity or stifle creativity and individuality, but to check the document for comprehensiveness and integrity.

When the profile meets the standard required, the applicants are ready to enter the pool of adoptive parents and permanent caregivers awaiting placement. During this time the profile remains the property of the applicants. If they withdraw from the pool, their profile is returned to them.

Applicants are advised to consider updating their profile over time so that it becomes a living document, growing and changing with their lives, as new information is added.

Profiles will be clearly marked with the office of origin, and if forwarded to other care/adoption teams or sites, they will be sent in sealed plastic envelopes by courier.

The profile forms part of the Oranga Tamariki record. A photocopy is to be placed on the applicants paper file.