Public Bill Committees
Adoption and Children Bill

  • Adoption and Children Bill, 2nd sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. David Hinchliffe in the Chair]
    • (The First Sitting of the Committee was held in private on Tuesday 6 November 2001) Adoption and Children Bill (0 speeches)
    • Examination of Witnesses - Memorandum from the Department of Health - KEY CHANGES (0 speeches)
      1. The Adoption and Children Bill was previously introduced to Parliament on 15 March 2001. It was referred to a Select Committee which held three public hearings and received evidence from...
    • Right to an assessment for adoption support services (clause 4) (0 speeches)
      4. The White Paper Adoption: a new approach, published in December 2000, included a commitment to ``give all families adopting children, especially those who have been looked after, a new right...
    • Registration of adoption support providers (clause 8) (0 speeches)
      7. The Bill includes new provisions to allow organisations other than adoption agencies to provide adoption support services, whilst ensuring that organisations operating in this sector are...
    • Placement Orders (clause 20) (0 speeches)
      12. A placement order is an order made by the court authorising a local authority to place a child for adoption with any prospective adopters who may be chosen by the authority. A local authority...
    • Access to Information (clauses 53 to 62) (0 speeches)
      17. The new version of the Bill aims to provide for a more consistent approach to access to information held in adoption agency records, and to information held in birth records. The Bill...
    • Intercountry Adoption (clauses 80 and 83) (0 speeches)
      19. The Bill includes new tighter controls on intercountry adoption. The need for improved safeguards was highlighted by the high profile Internet twins case earlier this year. The Government...
    • Clause 110 -Support for Special Guardianship Placements (0 speeches)
      24. New section 14F of clause 110 makes provision for local authority support services for special guardians and children subject to special guardianship orders. The White Paper Adoption: a new...
    • Devolution (clauses 113, 115 to 119 and 120) (0 speeches)
      28. The new Bill includes changes in respect of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 29. In respect of Wales, the Adoption Register provisions (clauses 115 to 119) now provide for the register...
    • ANNEX A - Access to information about a person's adoption - Introduction (0 speeches)
      1. The Bill includes new provisions governing the disclosure to adopted people of background information held by the adoption agency in connection with their adoption, the disclosure of...
    • Current position (0 speeches)
      3. Regulations1 provide that adoption agencies may disclose information in its possession, as it thinks fit for the purposes of carrying out its functions as an adoption agency. This enables for...
    • The Adoption and Children Bill, March 2001 (0 speeches)
      11. The Adoption White Paper included a commitment to provide adopted people with consistency of access to information about their family history and their adoption. When the Adoption and...
    • New provisions on the disclosure of information (159 speeches)
      14. The Government has put forward proposals in the new version of the Bill that seek to create a new system for access to information. It would provide a single point of access to identifying...
    • Memorandum from the British Agencies for AdoptionAnd Fostering - 1. INTRODUCTION (0 speeches)
      BAAF submitted evidence to the Special Select Committee on this Bill's predecessor and was also invited to give oral evidence before the Committee. We are pleased to have the opportunity to...
    • 2. Changes to the Adoption Support Framework — Clauses 2 - 4 and 8 (0 speeches)
      We welcome the fact that the Bill now provides for a wider group of people (people—not only children—who may be or have been adopted, birth parents and adoptive parents) to be...
    • 3. PLACEMENT ORDERS AND DISPENSATION WITH PARENTAL CONSENT - a) Conditions for grant of placement orders (0 speeches)
      Changes to what is now clause 20 (clause 17 in the earlier Bill) address one important concern raised in our previous evidence. We note that under the new proposals only local authorities (not...
    • b) Dispensation with parental consent (0 speeches)
      Although this change to placement orders removes one of our major concerns about the inadequacy of the grounds for dispensing with parental consent, it does not completely remove the problem. If...
    • 4. Adoption by Married Couples or Single People (0 speeches)
      We reiterate the concern expressed in our previous evidence (paragraph 9) at the failure to use this chance to amend the law by allowing two people living in a stable union—whether...
    • 5. Registration of Private Fostering (0 speeches)
      Again we would repeat our plea that this opportunity should be seized to protect a highly vulnerable group of children by legislation for the registration of private foster carers. Since our...
    • 6. Disclosure of Information About a Person's Adoption Clauses 53 - 62 and 76 (0 speeches)
      We have very serious concerns about these clauses as currently drafted. Not only are they enormously complex but they establish an extremely prescriptive framework which is likely to prove...
    • 7. the Adoption and Children Act Register (0 speeches)
      We welcome the addition of the provision enabling regulations to be made extending the use of the Register to other types of placement such as special guardianship. We also note with interest the...
    • 8. Intercountry Adoption (0 speeches)
      We note that clause 80 extends the restrictions on bringing children into the country to include cases where the child has been adopted abroad but without the proper (UK) procedures being...
    • 9. Consistency with the Children Act 1989 (0 speeches)
      One of the objectives of this legislation, which we thoroughly applaud, is to bring adoption law into line with the Children Act 1989. Unfortunately, however, the Bill as currently drafted would...
    • Annex 2 - A VERY PRIVATE PRACTICE - AN INVESTIGATION INTO PRIVATE FOSTERING (0 speeches)
      A Very Private Practice: An investigation into private fostering highlights the risks to which privately fostered children are exposed and provides powerful case materials. It sets out a...
    • Executive summary (0 speeches)
      The term ``private fostering'' is used to describe the situation when a child of up to 16 years of age (18 if disabled) is in the care of someone who is not his or her parent or relative for 28...
    • A programme for reform - ACTION FOR CENTRAL GOVERNMENT (0 speeches)
      1. Legislation should be introduced to require local authorities to maintain a register of private foster carers within their area who are approved as suitable. This register would be available...
    • Action by Local Authorities/Social Services Departments (0 speeches)
      1. Each authority should address private fostering specifically in its Children's Services Plan. 2. The principles of the Children Act 1989 - including the need to consider a child's religion,...
    • Annex 3 - INCONSISTENCY WITH THE CHILDREN ACT 1989 (0 speeches)
      One of the aims of the Bill is to align adoption law with the Children Act 1989. In a number of respects, however, it fails to achieve this. Indeed, in certain cases, it widens rather than...
    • a) Adoption Placements by Consent (0 speeches)
      Clause 18 provides that an adoption agency is ``authorised'' to place a child for adoption when each parent or guardian has consented to placement (whether with a specific adoptive family, or...
    • b) Parental Responsibility (0 speeches)
      Under the Children Act parental responsibility is not usually conferred on a non-parent except by court order. The only existing exception to this is the appointment of a guardian to act after...
    • c) Decision to apply for placement order (0 speeches)
      Clause 21 of the Bill sets out the circumstances in which a local authority must or may apply for a placement order. The circumstances under clause 21(1) are those where the child has been...
    • d) Foster Carers (0 speeches)
      Clause 41 provides that foster carers who seek to adopt need to have had the child living with them for at least a year before making the application—but this condition may be waived if the...
    • Memorandum from the Association of the Directors of Social Services - 1. INTRODUCTION (0 speeches)
      Members of the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) warmly welcome the Adoption and Children Bill and the changes that have been made since the Bill was previously introduced to...
    • 2. Adoption Support Framework (0 speeches)
      The Association welcomes the extension of entitlement to adoption support services for those who may be or have been adopted, birth parents and adoptive parents. The Association regards the...
    • 3. Adoption by Married Couples or Single People (0 speeches)
      The Association would respectfully recommend that further consideration is given to enable unmarried couples to make a joint legal commitment to a child through adoption.
    • 4. Disclosure of Information About a Person's Adoption (0 speeches)
      The Association recognises the extraordinarily difficult task of finding a balance between the rights of birth parents who request that identifying information is withheld from their adopted...
    • 5. Intercountry Adoption (0 speeches)
      The Association welcomes tighter controls on intercountry adoption and tougher penalties on those seeking to circumvent proper procedures. Very careful consideration needs to be given as to which...
    • 6. Registration of Private Fostering (0 speeches)
      The Association believes that no opportunity should be lost to protect this particularly vulnerable group of children. In recognition of some recent high profile cases, we would respectfully...
    • 7. Resources (0 speeches)
      The Association respectfully suggests that there are very significant financial implications for local authorities in trying to comply with the requirements and expectations contained within this...
    • Memorandum from the Local Government Association (0 speeches)
      INTRODUCTION This briefing outlines the key issues for local government in the adoption and children bill. The bill sets out a range of proposals to improve the adoption service, which will...
    • Changes from the Earlier Bill (0 speeches)
      —stronger measures to stop people wishing to adopt from overseas from avoiding the proper assessment and approval procedures, plus tougher penalties if they attempt to get around the...
    • KEY ISSUES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT - Clause 1 Family Support and balance of rights (0 speeches)
      Clause 1 (4) (a) refers to having regard to the wishes and feelings of the child. Children should have the right to consent to adoption and to be made a party to the proceedings. The value of...
    • Clause 3 Maintenance of adoption services (0 speeches)
      Responsibilities of local authorities in providing a comprehensive adoption service are clarified.
    • Clause 4 A new duty to assess for and provide adoption support services (0 speeches)
      The bill sets out a right for all adoptive families to be assessed for adoption support. We are pleased that the earlier Bill has been amended to recognise the need for pre as well as post...
    • Support from health, education and housing services (0 speeches)
      Clause 4(9) provides that a local authority which carries out an assessment and finds that there may be a need for provision of services by a health authority or local education authority, is...
    • Clause 12 Independent review mechanism (0 speeches)
      Provision of a review mechanism for potential adopters who feel that they have been turned down unfairly is supported. Adoption agencies should be consulted on the proposals for regulations....
    • Clauses 17 to 28 Provisions for Placement for Adoption and Placement Orders (0 speeches)
      The introduction of placement orders to replace the current 'freeing for adoption' provisions is welcomed. These provisions are extremely complex and, although they have been improved since the...
    • Clause 47 Adoption by Married Couples or Single People (0 speeches)
      We ask the Government to consider allowing two adults in a stable long term relationship to adopt a child jointly. It is now estimated that 40% of children are born outside marriage, with many...
    • Clauses 53 to 62 (0 speeches)
      The clauses in the Bill relating to the sharing of information are extremely complex and require clarification. Clause 54(6) provides for information to be shared where agreement is reached. We...
    • Clauses 80 to 87 (0 speeches)
      Sections 9 and 14 of the Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Act 1999 came into force on 30 April 2001, placing a duty on councils to establish and maintain a service that covers both domestic and...
    • Clause 115 Adoption and Children Register (0 speeches)
      The bill sets out measures to establish a national adoption register, which will hold details of all children waiting to be adopted and all approved adoptive families. The LGA supports measures...
    • Registration of Private Foster Carers (0 speeches)
      We recommend implementation of the recommendation in Sir William Utting's Report concerning private foster children. This would require the local authority to maintain a register of approved...
    • Funding (0 speeches)
      While we are pleased that adoption legislation is being brought up to date, thorough assessment will be need to be made of the funding requirements of the new adoption allowances, long-term and...
    • Example of Concurrent Planning: Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (0 speeches)
      There has been a long-standing partnership between Bury children's services and Manchester Adoption Society (MAS). MAS is piloting concurrent planning in England, with Bury as one of the local...
    • Further information (133 speeches)
      If you require further information please contact Dorothy Blatcher on 020 7664 3338 or email Dorothy.Blatcher@lga.gov.uk Felicity Collier, Chief Executive, British Agencies for Adoption and...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 3rd sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. David Hinchliffe in the Chair]
    • Memorandum from Norwood Jewish Adoption Society - PART 1 - Chapter 1 (0 speeches)
      Norwood Ravenswood (incorporating Norwood Jewish Adoption Society) welcome the Adoption and Children Bill and broadly support its content. We especially welcome the principle that children's...
    • Chapter 2 (0 speeches)
      3.4 We think this clause needs strengthening by regulation to make it mandatory for care (local)authorities to provide multi-disciplinary assessments and plans (directly or indirectly)to ensure...
    • Chapter 3 (0 speeches)
      20 Unless simultaneous Children Act 1989 and Adoption & Children Act decisions are made simultaneously, serious delay could result for any individual child.
    • Chapter 6 (0 speeches)
      80.6 Any regulation that would require children brought into the UK to be reviewed/monitored by the Agency who had approved the adopters would have serious financial implications for voluntary...
    • Part 2 (0 speeches)
      110 We welcome the concept of special guardianship in relation to children with significant kinship/friendship ties whose family wishes to remain long-term carers, as this would enhance the child...
    • PART 3 - Chapter 1 (0 speeches)
      The capacity of the Adoption Register to tackle delay for children will be entirely dependent on adoption agencies, local authorities and courts working within integrated tight time scales that...
    • Memorandum from Jim Richards, the Catholic Children's Society (Westminster) - INTRODUCTION (0 speeches)
      The Catholic Children's Society (Westminster) is a broad-based childcare agency, founded in 1859, which operates within the Diocese of Westminster. We work with all faiths and those with none....
    • 1. the Adoption and Children Bill in General (0 speeches)
      The Society has long advocated the need for new legislation, which better reflects the needs of adoption today. Previous administrations, including the present one, have missed opportunities to...
    • 2. Three Key Issues (0 speeches)
      We wish to draw the attention of the Committee to the following: —Post Adoption Support —Access to Information, and —Eligibility to adopt with specific reference to marriage.
    • 3.1 Post Adoption Support (0 speeches)
      3.1.1 The Recognition in the Bill that adoption is a life-long commitment reflects the reality of good, loving and caring parenthood. This part of the Bill also recognises that many of the...
    • 3.2 Access to Information (0 speeches)
      3.2.1 Adopters need to have information about the child that is to be placed with them before placement, to help them plan and decide. When the child is placed they then need, at that point, as...
    • 3.3 Eligibility to Adopt with Specific Reference to Marriage (0 speeches)
      3.3.1 We note and very much agree with the provision in Clauses 47 to 49, that only married couples or single persons may apply to adopt. 3.3.2 It is argued that there are many unmarried...
    • Memorandum from the Catholic Children's Society, Nottingham (0 speeches)
      The Catholic Children' Society, Nottingham, warmly welcomes the new Adoption and Children Bill. It provides an essential alignment of relevant legislation with that of adoption and provides a...
    • Clauses 3 and 4: Maintenance of Adoption Service and Assessment for Adoption Support Services (0 speeches)
      Our significant experience of placing children from the Public Care system endorses the need for adoption support services, as outlined. This is particularly important in relation to all parties...
    • Clause 5: Local Authority Plans for Adoption Services (0 speeches)
      We positively welcome the greater transparency regarding the descriptions of information about plans drawn up by Local Authorities. This move could potentially empower and inform those...
    • Clause 10: Management and Conduct of Agencies - Clause 14: Default Power of Appropriate Minister (0 speeches)
      We welcome the comparability across Statutory and Voluntary Sectors regarding expectations and registrations in respect of the management and conduct of Agencies. In particular, we welcome the...
    • Clause 11: Fees (0 speeches)
      We are concerned that recognition is given to the significant contribution made by Voluntary Adoption Agencies to the adoption and post-adoption services throughout the United Kingdom and it is...
    • Clause 17: Placement for Adoption by Agencies (0 speeches)
      We welcome clarification of the continuation of the Looked After status.
    • Clause 20: Placement Orders (0 speeches)
      We welcome steps which simplify the child's legal route to adoption whilst maintaining such safeguards as are necessary. We endorse this because the threshold becomes comparable between Care...
    • Clause 23: Revoking Placement Orders (0 speeches)
      We welcome this Clause for situations where children may continue to have been at risk from dangerous family members. Previous legislation allowed the legal challenge after a year if the child...
    • Clause 24: Parental Responsibility (0 speeches)
      We are concerned about the change from the current position, which moves parental responsibility from being given at the point of the Adoption Order to a possibly earlier stage. The fact that the...
    • Clause 49: Adoption by One Person (0 speeches)
      In situations where adoption is in the child's best interest, we positively welcome this Clause, as it provides an opportunity for mothers not to have to apply to adopt their own child, which we...
    • Clause 57: Disclosing Information to Adopters (0 speeches)
      We are very concerned that this Clause suggests that information is given to adopters after the granting of an Adoption Order. We believe this could render certain placements unstable and lead to...
    • Clause 58: Disclosing Information to Adopted Adults - Clause 59: Disclosing Protected Information in Other Circumstances - Clause 60: Counselling - Clause 61: Other Provisions to Be Made by Regulations (0 speeches)
      We are concerned about the limitations of the disclosure of information to adopted adults. We would have serious concerns about any legislation which created a two-tier system in relation to...
    • Clause 80: Restriction on Bringing Children in - Clause 83: Overseas Adoption (0 speeches)
      Whilst the Catholic Children's Society, Nottingham, does not provide a service to applicants wishing to adopt from overseas, nevertheless, we welcome wholeheartedly the new tighter controls on...
    • Clause 104: Avoiding Delay (0 speeches)
      We welcome the avoidance of delay and the increased focus of the management of the process within the court system. In our experience, there can be substantial delays which originate from the...
    • Clause 110: Special Guardianship Orders (0 speeches)
      Broadly speaking, we welcome the extension of arrangements for children and particularly the requirement that special guardianship support is comparable with post-adoption support. We would...
    • Clause 115: Adoption and Children Act Register (0 speeches)
      Broadly speaking, we welcome introduction of the Register. Although as an Agency whose services focus very specifically on the needs of children awaiting adoption who are currently in Public...
    • Sibling Placements (0 speeches)
      Our adoption legislation has always come ``out of the stable'' of singleton placements and that is no longer the reality for a large proportion of children adopted from Public Care. Legislation...
    • The Contribution of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (0 speeches)
      It is important that the significant contribution of Voluntary Adoption Agencies to the adoption services as a whole are recognised. Between them, twenty-seven of the Member Agencies of the...
    • Examination of Witnesses (138 speeches)
      Naomi Angell, Network for Intercountry Adoption; Jacky Gordon, Head of Family Placement Services, Norwood Ravenswood; Vivienne Reed, Operations Manager for the Register, Norwood Ravenswood;...
    • Memorandum from Professor John Triseliotis - INTRODUCTION (0 speeches)
      I am writing as someone who has been looking forward to a new Adoption Act for a number of years now. As a result I welcome many of the recommendations featuring in the Bill which is now before...
    • Section 26 of the Children Act 1975 (0 speeches)
      Because of many representations made by Adoption Agencies and adopted people, one of the tasks the Houghton Committee set up for itself was to find out more about the subject of access to birth...
    • Provisional Findings from Our Current Study (0 speeches)
      Studies across many countries and continents were also to show that parting with a child for adoption involves feelings of loss, grief, anger and guilt which for many birth parents cannot be...
    • Relevant Current Research Evidence (0 speeches)
      No research known to me has studied the perspectives and reactions of birth mothers who had been sought by their sons or daughters or who had themselves sought their sons or daughters. We are...
    • Discussion (0 speeches)
      What the above analysis tells us is that 94 per cent of the birth mothers who were sought by their sons or daughters had a very positive or positive experience and a similar proportion were very...
    • Examination of Witnesses (82 speeches)
      Professor John Triseliotis and Professor Sonia Jackson, called in and examined.
    • Memorandum from After Adoption - Introduction (0 speeches)
      The purpose of our evidence is to highlight certain aspects of the Bill as laid out in the following document. We have, however, decided to use the time allocated to us the Special Standing...
    • Our Evidence in relation to the Bill - 1 Maintenance of an adoption service (0 speeches)
      After Adoption welcomes the provisions in Clauses 3,4 and 5 clarifying the duties of a local authority to provide a comprehensive adoption service to all parties as detailed in 3 (1), (a), (b),...
    • 2 Requirement of Local Authority to provide support services (0 speeches)
      We would wish the government to be clearer in detail about the requirement of local authorities to provide support services not just to the right to request an assessment of need in order to...
    • 3 Post Adoption Support-inter-relationships with multi-agency involvement (0 speeches)
      We welcome Clause 4 (10) which places a duty on one local authority to comply with the request from another local authority to help in the exercise of their functions in relation to adoption...
    • 4 Services to Birth Parents/Relatives (0 speeches)
      After Adoption welcomes clause 3 where it makes it clear the duty to provide Adoption support services to extend to natural parents and former guardians. However the Bill does not address whether...
    • 5 Contact for adopted children with their Birth Families (0 speeches)
      We welcome the clarity under Clause 25 (1) about provision for contact under the Children Act 1989 ceasing to have effect and the provision to consider contact arrangements before a placement...
    • 6 Adoption by married couples or single people (0 speeches)
      In relation to clause 47 After Adoption continues to be concerned that the bill still restricts adoption to married couples or single people. We are mindful of the Adoption Convention of 1967,...
    • 7 Disclosure of information about a person's adoption (0 speeches)
      Clauses 53-62 relating to the disclosure of information about an adopted person are very complex. We would be extremely concerned if the intention of this bill is to diminish existing rights for...
    • 8 Status conferred by adoption (0 speeches)
      The wording of clause 64 (1) that an adopted child is to be treated as if he or she has been born as a child of that marriage is not a helpful statement. We believe that adoptive families have...
    • 9 Framework for allowances (0 speeches)
      After Adoption is concerned about the absence of a national framework for Post Adoption allowances. We regularly see discrepancies from one area to another. We also are aware that generous...
    • 10 Special Guardianship (0 speeches)
      After Adoption welcomes the introduction of special guardianship orders in clause 110. We feel this will provide a valuable option for some children for whom adoption is inappropriate. Many...
    • Conclusion (0 speeches)
      After Adoption welcomes the Adoption and Children bill but is clear that there is a need for the bill to address gaps and confusion about responsibilities which exists at present. We are happy...
    • Young people's comments in relation to adoption support (0 speeches)
      After Adoption run groups, clubs and family days for young people and their families as part of our comprehensive adoption support services. These are forums where users of our services are given...
    • About support - General (0 speeches)
      `I think that help should be there if needs be—I think a 24 hour phone helpline should be activated where you can discuss any problems that may arise in this difficult situation. The call...
    • Proactive support (0 speeches)
      ` gives you a chance to meet other people with the same kind of background and to get to know other people like you' `you can discuss things here that you wouldn't normally with other people' ...
    • About Contact (0 speeches)
      `I think that contact between the two halves of the family should be in forced if that is what both of the parties want.' `You should ask the child who they want to see because they want to see...
    • About information (0 speeches)
      `About our family history, why they were adopted and where they are going and what's going to happen.' `Who and where their parents are and that they know what it means- adoption that is'. ...
    • About After Adoption - VISION (0 speeches)
      After Adoption to be a National Organisation also operating Internationally and offering user led services to all that want to use them.
    • Mission (0 speeches)
      After Adoption's purpose is to enable people to deal with the difference adoption brings to their lives.
    • Aims (0 speeches)
      —To provide independent adoption related services in partnership with other agencies. —To develop innovative adoption projects. —To raise awareness and create a better...
    • Values (0 speeches)
      —We believe that the impact of adoption is lifelong, and services need to be provided acknowledging this. —We believe adoption is a social structure devised to care for children who...
    • The History and Work of After Adoption (0 speeches)
      The 1975 Adoption Act introduced a statutory responsibility for a fully comprehensive adoption service, but did not define this. Consequently, support for those touched by adoption has been very...
    • Memorandum from the Who Cares? Trust - (1) INTRODUCTION TO THE WHO CARES? TRUST - Current work (0 speeches)
      We are a national charity in the child care field, working to improve public care for the 60,000 children and young people living in foster and residential care throughout the UK. We work with...
    • (i) Re: Central and Local Government (0 speeches)
      We have been very influential in pushing for change to benefit the care population, particularly through Quality Protects 1999-2004, Education Guidance for young people in public care (DH/DfES...
    • (ii) Trusted links with children and young people via: - Who Cares? Magazine (0 speeches)
      The only national publication for children in public care, purchased by the majority of local authorities in the UK for 31,000 children and young people aged 10-18 in their care. Some 50...
    • Special publications for children (0 speeches)
      We have produced many publications across a number of issues, including working with groups of children to communicate government policy to a child audience.
    • The Who Cares? Telephone Linkline Service (0 speeches)
      This has taken thousands of calls from children and young people across a whole range of issues.
    • CareZone -interactive online services for children in public care (0 speeches)
      This work to benefit children and young people across the UK is in development.
    • (2) Key Points on the Adoption and Children Bill (0 speeches)
      As will be clear from the above description of its work, the Trust does not run adoption services. However, because of the specific nature of its close work over many years with the looked after...
    • Examination of Witnesses (107 speeches)
      Mrs. Maureen Crank and Ms Lynn Charlton, After Adoption; and Susanna Cheal, Chief Executive, and Jenny Robson, Director of Development, Who Cares? Trust, called in and examined.
    • The following witnesses were examined: (0 speeches)
      The Adoption Forum Pauline Dancyger NORCAP Pam Hodgkins Family Rights Group Robert Tapsfield NSPCC Christine Atkinson Children's Society Kathy Evans Julia Feast Adoption UK Philly Morrall...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 4th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. David Hinchliffe in the Chair]
    • Memorandum by the Adoption Forum (0 speeches)
      The Adoption Forum welcomes the Bill very warmly. It will bring many necessary reforms to a system that has tragically failed far too many of the children in its care over the past years. We hope...
    • Independent Safeguards (0 speeches)
      There is general agreement, eloquently restated by the Secretary of State himself during the Second Reading of the Bill, that there needs to be `fundamental' and `cultural' change in the system...
    • National Database (0 speeches)
      Children can disappear in the system and there are some terrible cases to prove it. There are no centrally held records and on average a child moves around three times a year, sometimes beyond...
    • Changes in the Bill (0 speeches)
      There are other matters, namely support and information, included in the Bill over which we share huge concern with other organisations such as NORCAP, Adoption UK, and other adoptive family...
    • a) Adoption/permanency support - i) Provision of support (0 speeches)
      One of the laudable aims of this Bill is to bring adoption/permanency support into the front line. Adoptions that fail do so because families feel unable to cope and support has been all but...
    • ii) Registration of adoption support providers (0 speeches)
      We welcome in theory the Bill's proposals to inspect and register the professional providers of adoption support so that standards are high and consistent. But we are concerned that this part of...
    • b) Information - i) Pre-adoption information (0 speeches)
      One of the root causes of disruption in placement/adoption is a lack of information about the child's history. Clause 57 proposes that information about a child's history should be disclosed as...
    • ii) Adopted adults seeking information (0 speeches)
      Since the Adoption Act of 1976 there has been a much more open attitude to adults seeking information about their past. This has proved beneficial for most: those who have wanted to seek their...
    • c) Intercountry adoption (0 speeches)
      This section of the Bill proved very difficult for us to understand (perhaps Clause 83 most of all). We are awaiting the interpretation of experienced legal counsel and hope to be able to speak...
    • Remaining Questions (0 speeches)
      There were certain other matters that we found puzzling or unclear: Clause 14 (1) and Clause 128: How is the Minister to discover a lack of compliance on the part of Local Authorities? Of...
    • Memorandum from Adoption UK - 1. INTRODUCTION (0 speeches)
      Adoption UK submitted evidence to the Special Select Committee on the previous Bill and gave oral evidence on 8th May 2001. We are delighted to have the chance to submit further evidence....
    • 2. Adoption Uk's Reaction to the Adoption and Children Bill (0 speeches)
      2.1 Adoption UK warmly welcomes the revised Bill. We recognise that the Government has listened to the views of many of the organisations and individuals touched by adoption. It has acknowledged...
    • 3. Two Key Issues - 3.1 Access to Information (0 speeches)
      3.1.1 Information—about the child's birth family, background and experiences prior to being placed for adoption—is absolutely essential to adoptive parents. Adopters need this...
    • 3.2 Adoption Support (0 speeches)
      3.2.1 The Prime Minister's Review of Adoption and the subsequent White Paper acknowledged that children adopted from the care system will have experienced neglect, physical, sexual or emotional...
    • 4. Other Issues (0 speeches)
      Adoption UK is represented on the Adoption Law Reform Group convened by BAAF. This Group has been working together since the early 1990's and has reached considerable consensus on a wide range of...
    • 5. Conclusion (0 speeches)
      Adoption UK is acutely aware that the opportunity to bring adoption legislation in line with current good adoption practice and with the needs of all parties involved in adoption occurs very...
    • Memorandum from NORCAP (National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees and Parents) - INTRODUCTION (0 speeches)
      NORCAP is a registered charity established in 1982 that aims to support, assist and advise adopted people and their relatives by both birth and adoption as they deal with issues arising from the...
    • Access to Information (clauses 53 to 62) (0 speeches)
      1. As the Department of Health Memorandum states these provisions are new, they ask if they strike the right balance. Without doubt these provisions are new, they have taken the whole adoption...
    • Appendix 1 — The Memorandum submitted in May 2001 - EVIDENCE FROM NORCAPFOR THESELECT COMMITTEE ON THEADOPTION AND CHILDREN BILL - 1. Introduction (0 speeches)
      1.1 The National Organisation for the Counselling of Adoptees and Parents (NORCAP) was established in 1982. It offers practical support and services, advice and counselling to adults whose lives...
    • 2 Adoption is for Life (0 speeches)
      2.1 This is the virtue of adoption. It is the reason why this Adoption and Children Bill is such a positive step forward for many children who may have no family for life if they move between...
    • Provisions for services for adults that appear to be missing from the Bill - The right for birth relatives of adopted adults to access information (0 speeches)
      2.2 Whilst adoption today is about securing family life for children who would otherwise grow up in the care of local authorities this is a fairly recent use of adoption. For the first 50 years...
    • 4 Other provisions on which NORCAP wishes to comment (0 speeches)
      4.1 NORCAP welcomes the requirement in section 1 (4)d and 1 (5) which recognises the importance of the child's background. For generations adopted people report that tension within the adoptive...
    • Memorandum from the Fostering Network (formerly known as the National Foster Care Association) (0 speeches)
      The Fostering Network aims to ensure the highest standards of care for all children and young people who are fostered, through the provision of training, advice, support, information and...
    • General Comments on the Bill (0 speeches)
      The Fostering Network is anxious to ensure that fostering continues to be considered as a positive option for children. There will remain children for whom adoption is not the right solution, and...
    • Specific Issues - Adoption Support Services Clause 4 (0 speeches)
      We welcome the fact that local authorities will have a duty to carry out certain assessments of the need for adoption support services for particular people. However, we are concerned that within...
    • Applications for Adoption (Clause 41) (0 speeches)
      Family life in Britain has changed dramatically since the last adoption legislation was produced and current legislation will probably be in place for at least another 25 years. We are...
    • Information (Clauses 53-62 and 76) (0 speeches)
      Under the Bill's provisions, if the birth parents had lodged an objection to the disclosure or their identity, the adopted adult would not be able to obtain his or her birth certificate. The...
    • Memorandum from the Family Rights Group - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (0 speeches)
      In addition to our earlier submission to the previous Select Committee, we wish to make the following recommendations to this Committee about the provisions in this bill: 1. That the...
    • About FRG: (0 speeches)
      Family Rights Group [FRG] supports families involved with social services by: —advising families who are involved with social services [we run a national telephone advice service] ...
    • FRG Submissions on the Reform of Adoption Law: (0 speeches)
      Throughout the last decade, we have been actively involved in the consultation process of the reform of adoption law. We have worked co-operatively with other adoption agencies such as BAAF,...
    • Our Submission on the Adoption and Children Bill (0 speeches)
      We refer to our previous evidence submitted to the Select Committee which considered the first Adoption and Children Bill. Most of the submissions we made still apply (save in relation the need...
    • Examination of Witnesses (107 speeches)
      Pauline Dancyger, Deputy Director, The Adoption Forum; Philly Morrall, Director, Adoption UK; Pam Hodgkins, National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees and Parents; Sue Gourvish, Head of...
    • Memorandum from Barnado's (0 speeches)
      Barnardo's is delighted to have the opportunity to give oral evidence to the Special Standing Committee on Part 2 of the Adoption and Children Bill. Barnardo's will be represented by Liz Garrett,...
    • Appendix 1 - Parental responsibility of unmarried father (Clause 106) (0 speeches)
      We acknowledge the importance of birth father's rights to have continuing involvement with their children. However, this should be done in the best interest of the child ensuring that their...
    • Acquisition of parental responsibility by step-parent (Clause 107) (0 speeches)
      This is a positive addition and provides an alternative to adoption and thus not severing the child's link with the birth parents. We would wish to seek reassurance that, where the child had...
    • Special Guardianship (Clause 14) (0 speeches)
      Adoption provides security and permanence to children, and at present the majority of children placed for adoption are under 5 years of age. Older children also are placed for adoption and this...
    • Care Plans (Clause 112) 31A (4) (0 speeches)
      It would be helpful for emphasis to be given to the fact that it is the local authority as a whole, which has corporate parenting responsibility for a child under a Care Order. All too often this...
    • Memorandum from the Children's Society - Introduction (0 speeches)
      The Children's Society broadly welcomes the new Adoption and Children Bill. It is a major step forward in the development of an adoption service built upon the wealth of experience and research...
    • Support Services (0 speeches)
      We welcome the proposals in clause 3 and section 14F of clause 110 that establish a duty on local authorities to make arrangements for the provision of adoption support services and special...
    • Fees (0 speeches)
      We are concerned about clause 11(1)[a] which we understand provides for powers to make regulations to underpin or make changes to the interagency fee which funds some of our services. If we are...
    • Information about a person's adoption (0 speeches)
      We are shocked to discover that clauses 53-62 and 76 propose fundamental changes to the way in which adopted people are currently able to access essential information about themselves: their...
    • Intermediary services for birth relatives (0 speeches)
      The impact of these provisions will be felt not only by adopted people but also by their birth relatives, including separated siblings. The Children's Society is currently undertaking another...
    • Adoption and Special Guardianship by married couples or Single People (0 speeches)
      We are very pleased that section 14A of clause 110(1) makes provision for the joint application of unmarried couples to become special guardians. We are very saddened however that the bill does...
    • Special Guardianship Orders (0 speeches)
      We are supportive of the arrangements for special guardianship orders as they provide another option for permanency for children and young people.
    • Inquiries by Local Authorities into representations (0 speeches)
      The Children's Society is supportive in principle of the proposal in clause 111 to amend The Children Act to introduce time limits for the making of representations, however our support is...
    • Appendix 1 - ADOPTION, SEARCH AND REUNION (0 speeches)
      The Long Term Experience of Adopted Adults
    • jf12ÝSummary (0 speeches)
      Adoption, Search and Reunion is the first major British study to compare the characteristics and experiences of adopted people who search for birth relatives (searchers) with those who do not...
    • Searching for a birth relative (0 speeches)
      Most searchers set off to find their birth mother. There was a widespread hope that a successful search would improve feelings of happiness. Sixty five per cent of adopted people began their...
    • Non-searchers (0 speeches)
      Amongst non-searchers, there was an even split between those who said that they had not thought about searching and those who said they had actually thought about searching but had done nothing...
    • Gender and age (0 speeches)
      In terms of adopted people's broad biographical and adoptive family characteristics, there were few differences between searchers and non-searchers. The only significant difference between those...
    • Growing up adopted (0 speeches)
      The majority of adopted people in the survey had thought about one or more of their birth relatives when growing up. Over 80 per cent. of both searchers and non-searchers had wondered what their...
    • Contact and reunion with birth relatives (0 speeches)
      When they first met their birth relative, most adopted people said their feelings were either cautious ones of interest and friendship, or powerful ones of instant family bond and connection....
    • Evaluating the contact and reunion experience (0 speeches)
      Whether or not the contact with the birth relative was short-lived and difficult, or comfortable and long lasting, the majority of searchers (85 per cent.) and non-searchers (72 per cent.) said...
    • The experience of being placed transracially (0 speeches)
      In many respects, adopted people who had been placed transracially reported similar experiences and outcomes to those who had been in matched same-race placements. They were as likely to be still...
    • Making sense of the findings (0 speeches)
      More searchers than non-searchers describe relationships with their adoptive family and their overall experience of being adopted with mixed or, or in a few cases negative feelings. This suggests...
    • Implications for policy and practice (0 speeches)
      Recognition that adoption is a life-long experience and that people's need to access counselling and support services is not time-limited. The need for improved advice, guidance and support...
    • About The Children's Society (0 speeches)
      The Children's Society is one of the country's leading children's charities working with approximately 40,000 children and young people in around 100 projects throughout England and Wales. The...
    • About The Nuffield Foundation (0 speeches)
      The Nuffield Foundation is a charitable trust established by Lord Nuffield. Its widest charitable object is ``the advancement of social well-being'' The Foundation has a special programme of...
    • Examination of Witnesses (59 speeches)
      Liz Garrett, Head of Policy, and Ann Haigh, Project Leader of Counselling Services, Barnardo's; Christine Atkinson, Policy Adviser, Child Protection, National Society for the Prevention of...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 5th sitting (11 speeches)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 6th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
    • Clause 1 - Considerations applying to (54 speeches)
      Amendment proposed [this day]: No. 1, in page 2, line 14, leave out `religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural'.—[Mr. Walter.] Question again proposed, That the amendment be made.
    • Clause 17 - Placement for adoption by agencies (6 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 29, in, page 12, line 10, leave out `And adoption agency may' and insert `Where an adoption agency is satisfied that a child ought to be placed for adoption it may'.
    • Clause 18 - Placing children with parental consent (17 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 40, in page 12, line 35, after ``of'', insert— ``or other persons holding parental responsibility for''. Again, the amendments are probing amendments, and I...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 7th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
    • Clause 18 - PLACING CHILDREN WITH PARENTAL CONSENT (22 speeches)
      Amendment proposed [27 November]: No. 42, in page 12, line 35, after the word `child', to insert the words `with reference having been made to the expressed wishes of the child himself...
    • Clause 19 - Advance consent to adoption (15 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 46, in page 13, line 25, after `section', insert `and will be given a written explanation as to the timing and procedure by which consent can be withdrawn.'. In his...
    • Clause 20 - Placement orders (42 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 32, in page 13, line 36, leave out subsection (1) and insert— `(1) A placement order is an order made by the court authorising a local authority— (a) to...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 8th sitting (2 speeches)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 9th sitting (1 speech)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
    • Clause 94 - Proceedings for offences (61 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 131, in page 51, line 6, leave out subsection (1). Welcome back, Mrs. Roe. As you said, we have finished clause 52—at least in parliamentary terminology. The...
    • Clause 95 - Appeals (3 speeches)
      Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
    • Clause 96 - Proceedings to be in private (12 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 134, in page 51, line 21, after 'camera', insert ', except where the judge deems it to be in the public interest to make all or part of the proceedings public and, in...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 10th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
    • Clause 96 - Appeals (3 speeches)
      Amendment proposed [this day]: No. 134, page 51, line 21, after 'camera', insert ', except where the judge deems it to be in the public interest to make all or part of the proceedings public...
    • Clause 97 - Officers of the Service (35 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 150, in page 51, line 35, after 'application', insert 'or by any local authority in whose care the child has at any time been placed.' We now come to an interesting...
    • Clause 98 - Right of officers of the service to have (12 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 135, in page 52, line 15, at end insert 'or any other records held by that agency relating to the child which he may regard as relevant to the case.'. We are trying...
    • Clause 99 - Evidence of consent (2 speeches)
      Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
    • Clause 104 - Avoiding delay (17 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 141, in page 54, line 8, leave out from '(2))—' to end of line 17 and insert— '(a) draw up a timetable with a view to disposing of the application without...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 11th sitting (1 speech)
    [Mr. Jimmy Hood in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 12th sitting (2 speeches)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
    • Clause 80 - Restriction on bringing children in (112 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 159, in page 43, line 16, leave out 'six months' and insert 'one year'. Having been greatly enriched by that piece of information, I turn to more mundane matters. The...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 13th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 14th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 15th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 16th sitting (1 speech)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 17th sitting (0 speeches)
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 18th sitting (2 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 19th sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
    • Clause 56 - Offence (0 speeches)
      Amendment made: No. 202, in page 32, line 33, leave out 'or 55(4)'.—[Jacqui Smith.] Clause 56, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.
    • Clause 57 - Disclosing information to adopters (23 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 52, in page 32, line 37, leave out 'As soon as practicable after the making of an adoption order' and insert 'At the time of making'. Good morning, Mr. Stevenson. I...
    • Clause 58 - Disclosing information to adopted adult (37 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 204, in page 33, line 10, leave out from 'receive' to 'from' in line 11.
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 20th sitting (1 speech)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 21st sitting (2 speeches)
    [Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 22nd sitting (2 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
    • Clause 110 - Special guardianship orders (58 speeches)
      Amendment proposed [this day]: No. 257, in page 60, line 12, after 'guardian', insert 'and, (c) a birth parent'.—[Tim Loughton.] Question again proposed, That the amendment be made.
    • Clause 111 - Inquiries by local authorities into representations (5 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 260, in page 62, line 18, at end insert— '(3B) The duty under subsection (3) extends to representations (including complaints) made to the authority by—...
    • Clause 112 - Care plans (3 speeches)
      I beg to move amendment No. 252, in page 63, line 11, at end insert 'and reference should be made to all relevant departments within that authority.'. This is a small, probing amendment, and I...
    • New Clause 9 - Registration of private foster parents (8 speeches)
      'For section 69 of the 1989 Act (Power to prohibit private fostering) there is substituted— 69(1) Every local authority shall keep a register of persons who act as private foster parents...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 23rd sitting (0 speeches)
    [Mr. George Stevenson in the Chair]
    • New clause 9 - Registration of private foster parents (55 speeches)
      'For section 69 of the 1989 Act (Power to prohibit private fostering) there is substituted— ''69 (1) Every local authority shall keep a register of persons who act as private foster...
    • New clause 10 - Amendment of section 17 of the (11 speeches)
      '. In section 17 of the Children Act 1989 (provision of support for children and their families) after subsection (1) there is inserted— ''(1A) In any case where a local authority have...
    • New clause 12 - Parental contact with children after (5 speeches)
      'After section 8 in Part 2 of the Children Act 1989 there is inserted— ''8A Contact orders in cases involving family violence (1) Where a court is considering whether to make a...
  • Adoption and Children Bill, 24th sitting (1 speech)
    Mrs. Marion Roe in the Chair]

All Bills in this session

Committee Membership and attendance (out of 23)

Chairmen
Members

[ Committee memberships can change partway through. ]

What are Public Bill Committees?

Previously called Standing Committees, Public Bill Commitees study proposed legislation (Bills) in detail, debating each clause and reporting any amendments to the Commons for further debate.

There are at least 16 MPs on a Committee, and the proportion of parties reflects the House of Commons, so the government always has a majority.