Six-month delay for new regulations

March 5, 2003 in Child safeguarding, Fostering and adoption, Social care leaders

The Department of Health’s decision to delay the introduction of
new support arrangements for adopting parents has been welcomed by
adoption groups.

The six-month delay of the Adoption Support Services Regulations
2003 means the arrangements will not now come into force until late
October. Following consultation, the DoH has decided the 28 April
deadline was too tight and that local authorities needed more time
to plan for, and implement, the changes.

The draft regulations, released just before Christmas last year,
propose that in cases where children are placed for adoption
outside their local authority, responsibility for paying for
allowances will transfer immediately an order has been made to the
council where the adoptive family lives.

Adoption UK director Jonathan Pearce welcomed the delay but voiced
concerns over whether the department was going to have time to
amend the regulations to take into account all the issues raised
during the consultation.

– Go to www.doh.gov.uk/adoption