Birth Parent Adoption Support RFQ

Tender description

Under section 3(2)(b) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, a local authority adoption service must include the provision of adoption support services. Local authorities are required to make a range of adoption support services available in their area to meet the needs of people affected by adoption. Adoption agencies must, when adoption is decided upon: • provide or commission certain support for birth parents which is independent of the child's social worker. • provide or commission certain post adoption services to birth relatives including grandparents, siblings and others who are significant to the child. The elements of Adoption support services this contract will be looking to provide are: • counselling, advice and information • services to enable discussion of matters relating to adoption • assistance in relation to arrangements for contact Section 3(4) of the 2002 Act enables local authorities to arrange for adoption support services to be provided by another body. This enables the local authority to delegate or contract out provision of these services to a third party who will provide services on its behalf. The Act provides that Voluntary Adoption Agencies can provide adoption support services on a local authority's behalf. The Adoption Support Services Regulations 2005 enables the local authority to contract with an independent registered provider to ensure that the service is provided.