d the prospective adopter’s report, are essential to the fundamental decisions that are made at key points during the adoption process. Such adoption reports should be objective and prepared only by individuals who either have the necessary qualifications and experience or are supervised by a person who has. Because of the importance of these reports, section 94 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (the Act) prohibits the writing or commissioning of reports by someone who does not meet the requirements set out in the Restriction on the Preparation of Adoption Reports Regulations 2005 (ARR). 1.10. The ARR defines those persons who may prepare or supervise the preparation of adoption reports (ARR 3) and list the reports which fall within the definition of ‘adoption reports’ (ARR 4). 17 1.11. Individuals who do not meet the requirements of ARR 3 and prepare any of the reports set out in ARR 4 would, if convicted, be liable to imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine, or both. It is also a contravention and an offence to ask someone to prepare a report where they would not fall within the prescribed description, or to submit a report by a person who does not fall within the prescribed description. See Annex A and section 94 of the Act for the full details. 1.12. ARR 3 provides that only persons who fall within one of three categories of the prescribed description may prepare adoption reports. These are:  a social worker, employed by the agency, who either has the necessary experience or is supervised by a social worker, employed by the agency, who has the necessary experience;  an independent social worker acting on behalf of the agency who has the necessary experience and is supervised by a social worker employed by the agency who has the necessary experience; or  a