New regulations on adoption support services are expected to encourage more people to consider adoption.
The regulations oblige councils to regularly assess adopters, adopted children and birth relatives of adopted children for their financial and service-related support needs as a result of the placement.
Services could include support groups for adoptive parents and adoptive children, support for contact arrangements between adoptive children and birth relatives, therapeutic services and counselling advice and information.
Under the regulations, which take effect from October, services can be contracted out to the voluntary and independent sectors.
The regulations have been welcomed by charities Baaf Adoption and Fostering and Adoption UK.
Youth Justice and the Youth Justice Board
26 August 2008
Substance misuse
15 August 2008
Details of government consultations
21 August 2008
Private Member Bills
25 July 2008
Government Legislation
25 July 2008
