Prospective

Provision of adoption support servicesE+W

3.—(1) For the purposes of section 2(6) of the 2002 Act (definition of “adoption support services”)(1), the following services are prescribed —

(a)financial support payable under regulation 10;

(b)services to enable groups of adoption support services users to discuss matters relating to adoption;

(c)assistance in relation to arrangements for contact between an adoptive child and —

(i)a relative of the adoptive child; or

(ii)any person with whom the adoptive child has a relationship which appears to the local authority to be beneficial to the welfare of the child having regard to the matters referred to in sub-paragraphs (i) to (iii) of section 1(4)(f) of the 2002 Act;

(d)services that may be provided to an adoptive parent or adoptive child in relation to the therapeutic needs of the child;

(e)assistance for the purpose of ensuring the continuance of the relationship between the child and his or her adoptive parent, including —

(i)training for adoptive parents for the purpose of meeting any special needs of the child;

(ii)respite care.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 4 to the 2002 Act, the arrangements which local authorities are required to make are arrangements for providing any service specified in column (1) of the Schedule for persons who are of a description specified in the corresponding entry in column (2) of that Schedule;

(3) The arrangements referred to in paragraph (2) in respect of any service are required to be made whether or not the local authority have decided to provide the service to any person.