The Local Authority Adoption Service (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Local Authority Adoption Service (England) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”).

The 2003 Regulations make provision in relation to the Adoption Service provided by local authorities. These Regulations amend the 2003 Regulations to make provision about adoption support services provided by local authorities (defined in section 2(6) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and regulations made under section 2(6)).

The amendments made by these Regulations impose additional obligations on a local authority in relation to the provision of adoption support services. The regulations require in particular officers appointed to manage the local authority’s Adoption Service to have regard to the number and needs of those receiving adoption support services (regulation 2(6)); require the written policy intended to safeguard children to include children receiving adoption support services from the local authority (regulation 2(7)); require authorities to ensure that adoption support services they provide are appropriate to the needs of those receiving the services (regulation 2(8)) and to have sufficient staff who are suitably qualified and competent to provide such services (regulation 2(9)); require the local authority to keep records in relation to the adoption support services provided to any person (regulation 2(8)) and new requirements are imposed in relation to the provision of copies of the authority’s statement of purpose and children’s guide (regulation 2(3) and (4)).

A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations and a copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament. Copies of the regulatory impact assessment can be obtained from the Department for Education and Skills' website http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ria/.