Chester charity Adoption Matters has secured partnerships in four regional adoption agency projects.
The Government announced the formation of the regional agencies to help find stable and loving homes for children quicker than ever before earlier this week.
The regional adoption agencies are groups of local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies.
'Delighted'
Adoption Matters chief executive Norman Goodwin CBE said: “We are delighted to be involved with a number of regional agency projects.
“We have shown through our partnership with Warrington, Wigan and St Helens Councils that this works to assist and enhance the adoption process for both the adopter and more importantly the child.”
Research shows that when placing children for adoption, councils tend to concentrate their efforts on finding local parents first, rather than looking further afield for what might be a better match.
The Department for Education says that encouraging councils and adoption agencies to work together will act as a triple win – giving councils a greater pool of adoptive parents to match with children, making adoption support services more widely available and better targeting the recruitment of adopters.
A duty to match quickly
Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson MP, who grew up with two adopted brothers, said: “Every single day a child in the North West spends waiting in care for their new family is a further delay to a life full of love and stability – and so I’m delighted to announce the region as one of the first Regional Adoption Agencies.
“Where adoption is proven to be in the best interest of the child, we have a duty to make sure they’re matched quickly with the parents right for them - regardless of where they live.
“By coming together and joining forces, councils and adoption agencies across the region will be able to reach across artificial boundaries and access an ever growing pool of approved adopters, creating families quickly and successfully.”
The Government will provide financial and practical support for councils and adoption agencies to enable them to bring services together regionally.
