Commentary on Sections Chapter 1 .The Adoption Service Section 9 - Assessment of needs for adoption support services
42.This section relates to the assessment of needs for adoption support services. By virtue of subsection (1), a local authority must provide an assessment of needs for adoption support services when requested to do so by people listed in any of paragraphs (a) to (i) of section 1(3). These include the child, the child’s family and the child’s adoptive family. The local authority may provide such an assessment for a person listed at paragraph (j) of section 1(3), namely any other person affected by placing of a child for adoption, proposed placing or adoption itself.
43.Subsection (2) provides that where a local authority carries out an assessment under subsection (1), it must decide whether the provision of adoption support services is required.
44.Subsection (3) provides that an assessment carried out under this section must be done in such a manner as may be prescribed in regulations made by the Scottish Ministers.