Adoptive parents and foster carers need support to ensure the success of placements and the welfare of the children involved. Support for adoption placements was a major theme of the first phase of the Adoption Policy Review and was also considered in the second phase ( Adoption Policy Review Group - report phase II). One of the major recommendations of the Review Group was that there should be an improved legal framework for, and better delivery of, adoption support services and the Executive agreed with the recommendation. The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 27 March 2006, makes provision for a statutory range of adoption services for people affected by adoption.
The provisions included in the Bill will place a duty on local authorities to make available a wide range of support services to people affected by adoption and to make people aware of such services at an early stage in the adoption process. The Bill will provide for a wide range of people affected by adoption to be assessed for their support needs, including birth parents, siblings, grandparents, members of the wider birth family and people involved in the child's life to the point of adoption even if not a relative. Certain categories of people, including birth parents of adopted children, adoptive parents and adoptive families, will be entitled to have their need for support assessed. Other people affected by adoption will be able to request an assessment of their need for support. The provisions in the Bill will be underpinned by secondary legislation which will set out the manner in which local authorities should assess the needs of relevant people and plan to meet any assessed needs.
Ministers have indicated their intention to produce a National Fostering Strategy in late 2006. This will cover issues such as
- recruitment and retention of foster carers
- allowances and fees
- training and support for foster carers and their families
- kinship care
In addition, Ministers intend to review and update the Regulations that govern fostering in Scotland, probably in early 2007.