6.—(1) The local authority must appoint a person (an “adoption support services adviser”) to carry out the functions specified in paragraph (2).
(2) The functions of the adoption support services adviser are to—
(a)give advice and information to persons who may be affected by the adoption or proposed adoption of a child, including as to—
(i)services that may be appropriate to those persons; and
(ii)how those services may be made available to them;
(b)give advice, information and assistance to the local authority which appointed him, including as to—
(i)the assessment of needs for adoption support services in accordance with Part 4;
(ii)the availability of adoption support services;
(iii)the preparation of plans required under section 4(5) of the Act; and
(c)consult with, and give advice, information and assistance to, another local authority where appropriate.
(3) The local authority must not appoint a person as an adoption support services adviser unless they are satisfied that his knowledge and experience of—
(a)the process of adoption; and
(b)the effect of the adoption of a child on persons likely to be affected by the adoption, is sufficient for the purposes of the work that he is to perform.