The Local Authority Adoption Service (Wales) Regulations 2007

PART 2 MANAGERS

Appointment of manager

10.—(1) Each local authority must appoint one of its officers to manage the adoption service and must forthwith notify the National Assembly of—

(a) the name of the person appointed in accordance with this regulation; and

(b) the date on which the appointment is to take effect.

(2) The officer appointed by the local authority to manage the adoption service must—

(a) be a social worker; and

(b) it’s mandatory

(i) have a qualification of at least level 4 NVQ in management or another qualification which matches the competencies of level 4 NVQ, or

(ii) will commence undertaking the qualification when appointed to manage the adoption service, and will obtain the qualification within 3 years of the date of appointment, or

(iii) will obtain the qualification by such later date as the National Assembly may in exceptional circumstances agree; and

(c) have at least two years' experience of working in a child care setting , which may include managing a voluntary adoption agency or a local authority adoption service within the past five years.

(3) The authority must forthwith notify the National Assembly if the person appointed under paragraph (1) ceases to manage the adoption service.

Fitness of manager

11.—(1) Only a person who is fit to do so may manage an adoption service.

(2) A person is not fit to manage an adoption service unless that person—

(a) is of integrity and good character;

(b) having regard to the size of the authority and its statement of purpose—

(i) has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for managing the adoption service; and

(ii) is physically and mentally fit to manage the adoption service; and

(c ) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to that person in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 3.

General requirements

12.—(1) The manager must, having regard to—

(a) the size of the local authority and its statement of purpose; and

(b) the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who may be, or have been, placed for adoption by the authority,

manage the adoption service with sufficient care, competence and skill.

(2) The manager must from time to time undertake such training as is appropriate to ensure that he or she has the experience and skills necessary to manage the adoption service.

Notification of offences

13.  A manager who is convicted of any criminal offence, whether in Wales or elsewhere, must give immediate notice in writing to the National Assembly of—

(i) the date and place of the conviction;

(ii) the offence; and

(iii) the penalty imposed in respect of the offence.