Regulations may encourage more people to consider adoptions

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.