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see also Part 5, Practice Direction 5, Practice Direction 5B, Practice Direction 5C

# Practice Direction – Reports by a Registered Medical Practitioner (‘Health Reports’)This Practice Direction supplements Part 5, rule 30(2) of the Family Procedure (Adoption) Rules 2005

## Matters to be contained in health reports

### 1.1

Rule 30(1) requires that health reports must be attached to an application for an adoption order or a section 84 order except where –

(a) the child was placed for adoption with the applicant by an adoption agency;

(b) the applicant or one of the applicants is a parent of the child; or

(c) the applicant is the partner of a parent of the child.

### 1.2

The matters to be contained in the health reports are set out in the Annex to this Practice Direction.

### 1.3

Where a matter to be contained in the health report does not apply to the circumstances of a particular case, the reasons for not covering the matter should be given.

## Annex Contents of Health Reports

This information is required for reports on the health of children and their prospective adopter(s). Its purpose is to build up a full picture of each child’s health history and current state of health, including strengths and weaknesses. This will enable local authorities’ medical adviser to base their advice to the court on the fullest possible information when commenting on the health implications of the proposed adoption. The reports made by the examining doctor should cover, as far as practicable, the following matters.

### 1 The Child

Name, date of birth, sex, weight and height.

(A) A health history of each natural parent, so far as is possible, including:

(i) name, date of birth, sex, weight and height;

(ii) a family health history, covering the parents, the brothers and sisters and the other children of the natural parent, with details of any serious physical or mental illness and inherited and congenital disease;

(iii) past health history, including details of any serious physical or mental illness, disability, accident, hospital admission or attendance at an out-patient department, and in each case any treatment given;

(iv) a full obstetric history of the mother, including any problems in the ante-natal, labour and post-natal periods, with the results of any tests carried out during or immediately after pregnancy;

(v) details of any present illness including treatment and prognosis;

(vi) any other relevant information which might assist the medical adviser; and

(vii) the name and address of any doctor(s) who might be able to provide further information about any of the above matters.

(B) A neo-natal report on the child, including:

(i) details of the birth, and any complications;

(ii) results of a physical examination and screening tests;

(iii) details of any treatment given;

(iv) details of any problem in management and feeding;

(v) any other relevant information which might assist the medical adviser; and

(vi) the name and address of any doctor(s) who might be able to provide further information about any of the above matters.

(C) A full health history and examination of the child, including:

(i) details of any serious illness, disability, accident, hospital admission or attendance at an out-patient department, and in each case any treatment given;

(ii) details and dates of immunisations;

(iii) a physical and developmental assessment according to age, including an assessment of vision and hearing and of neurological, speech and language development and any evidence of emotional or conduct disorder;

(iv) details, if relevant, of the impact of any addiction or substance use on the part of the natural mother before, during or following the pregnancy, and its impact or likely future impact on the child;

(v) the impact, if any, on the child’s development and likely future development of any past exposure to physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglectful home conditions and/or any non-organic failure to thrive;

(vi) for a child of school age, the school health history (if available);

(vii) any other relevant information which might assist the medical adviser; and

(viii) the name and address of any doctor(s) who might be able to provide further information about any of the above matters.

(D) The signature, name, address and qualifications of the registered medical practitioner who prepared the report, and the date of the report and of the examinations carried out.

### 2 The Applicant

(If there is more than one applicant, a report on each applicant should be supplied covering all the matters listed below.)

(A)

(i) name, date of birth, sex, weight and height;

(ii) a family health history, covering the parents, the brothers and sisters and the children of the applicant, with details of any serious physical or mental illness and inherited and congenital disease;

(iii) marital history, including (if applicable) reasons for inability to have children, and any history of domestic violence;

(iv) past health history, including details of any serious physical or mental illness, disability, accident, hospital admission or attendance at an out-patient department, and in each case any treatment given;

(v) obstetric history (if applicable);

(vi) details of any present illness, including treatment and prognosis;

(vii) a full medical examination;

(viii) details of any consumption of alcohol, tobacco and habit-forming drugs;

(ix) any other relevant information which might assist the medical adviser; and

(x) the name and address of any doctor(s) who might be able to provide further information about any of the above matters.

(B) The signature, name, address and qualifications of the registered medical practitioner who prepared the report, and the date of the report and of the examinations carried out.

Published by TSO on behalf of the Ministry of Justice

Applications to reproduce the material in this value added publication should be addressed to Office of Public Sector Information, Information Policy Team, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU.

An application can be made via the OPSI website (opens in a new window) or by e-mailing: licensing@opsi.gov.uk

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