The Local Authority Adoption Service (England) Regulations 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are made under the Adoption Act 1976 as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000. They apply to local authorities in England only.

Regulations 3 and 4 provide that each local authority who provides an adoption service must have a statement of purpose setting out the aims and objectives of the service and a children’s guide. The service must be carried on in a manner that is consistent with the statement of purpose.

Part II makes provision about the persons managing the service. Regulation 5 requires the appointment of a manager. Regulations 6 and 7 make provision about the fitness of the manager and in particular, regulation 6 requires satisfactory information about the manager to be available in relation to the matters specified in Schedule 3.

Part III makes provision about the conduct of the service, arrangements for the protection of children (regulation 9), staffing and fitness of workers and in particular the availability of satisfactory information in relation to the matters specified in Schedule 3 (regulations 10 to 13), the arrangements that are to be in place where the manager is absent (regulation 14), the keeping of the records about staff that are listed in Schedule 4 (regulation 15), fitness of premises (regulation 16) and complaints (regulation 17).