Adoptions into Northern Ireland RIASS
Regional Intercountry Adoption Assessment Service, Unit 3 Springfarm Ind Estate, Antrim BT41 4NT T: 028 9448 8285 RIAAS@northerntrust.hscni.net www.adoptionandfostering.hscni.net
WELCOME TO RIAAS
RIAAS is a new regional service that has been established to provide a professionally consistent, specialist team to provide expertise in the preparation, assessment and pre placement reviews of anyone in Northern Ireland wishing to adopt from overseas.
RIASS undertakes intercountry adoption services on behalf of all the 5 Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland. RIAAS’s role is to provide information giving, prepare, assess and review applicants in Northern Ireland who wish to adopt a child through intercountry adoption.
The intercountry adoption ‘journey’ is not one to be taken without a lot of preparation and awareness that it will be both rewarding and life changing. However, applicants also need to be well informed about the eligibility criteria both within our own legislation and that of the country they wish to apply to. There are specific risks associated with applying to adopt from overseas including the potential for long waits for a placement, countries closing their intercountry adoption process, limited information with matching details, the long term impact to children of institutionalisation and the wider society’s acceptance of a child adopted from overseas. However, for all those who have travelled this journey and adopted from overseas the rewards and joys of parenting, outweigh everything else.
It is the policy in Northern Ireland that potential adopters cannot apply to be considered for children domestically as well as from overseas. There are many children needing adopted here in Northern Ireland and therefore we would greatly encourage everyone to be fully informed about both options before making a final decision. Each of the 5 Trusts have domestic adoption teams which will provide you with details on the ‘Domestic Adoption’ process.
Please feel free to contact me at RIAAS on email
or telephone 028 9442 4342.
Michael Robinson SSW - RIAAS
