Parenting capacity
In the case of adoption where a joint application is not envisaged, who will be the named adopter? What are the implications
of this for this family?
Comment on the experience of the applicant(s) of caring for/working with a child/ren. Where the applicant(s) are parents,
describe their adjustment to parenthood.
What is their understanding of how children develop? Do they appreciate the extent to which the development of "looked
after" children may have been affected by their pre‑placement experiences?
Use of own childhood experience:What patterns of parenting would they repeat and what would they change? What
experience or understanding do they have of adapting parenting skills to meet the need of individual children?
What is the applicant(s)' understanding of their own parenting strengths or potential? To what extent would they expect other
family members/friends to be involved in the parenting of their children?
Physical/sexual abuse: How will they ensure that a child will be safe in their family and within wider support networks?
Behaviour management: What are the rules in the household? How do the applicant(s) show approval/disapproval? If this is
a foster placement, do the applicants understand that they will be required to sign an undertaking not to administer corporal
punishment to any child placed with them?
What consideration have the applicant(s) given to their proposed form/s of discipline and how that might impact on a child
who has experienced abuse/neglect?
Difference: Would this family be able to parent a child whose culture, religion, ethnicity, "race" or language is different from
their own? What do they anticipate would be the issues and difficulties for themselves, for existing children in their household
and for those in their support network? What do they anticipate would be the issues and difficulties for the child? What in their
past and present would help them to do this? Which changes do they anticipate would need to happen in their lifestyle in
order to enable them to do this?
