Just six weeks since its launch, the new regional adoption agency for Greater Manchester and Cheshire East - "Adoption Counts", has made its first adopter approval and received over 100 enquiries with over 27,000 visits to the new website.
The agency has also been awarded £500,000 from the Department of Education to develop a centre of excellence in adoption support.
Adoption Counts, which was launched on 3rd July 2017, is the second regional adoption agency in the UK and adoption services in Cheshire East, Stockport, Manchester, Trafford, and Salford local authorities are now an integrated service.
Over the next few months, all the adoption services will be delivered from three locations – Salford Civic Centre, Wythenshawe and Middlewich. Adoption Counts will be responsible for recruiting adopters, family finding for children and providing support to adoptive families.
Sue Westwood, Regional Adoption Agency Manager said, "I am really excited to be leading one of the first regional adoption agencies in the country. Adoption Counts is a new and improved way of finding permanent homes for our most vulnerable children. It has been really exciting to bring together the best of our existing practice and to develop new services across such a large area. We are committed not just to finding new families but supporting these families into the future, helping them to give children the security they need."
Robert Goodwill, MP and Minister of State for Children and Families said: "I am confident that the Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs) will improve services for children and families. RAAs are an opportunity to ensure the best possible outcomes for those going through the adoption process through more efficient matching and family finding, coordinated adopter recruitment, and a consistent offer of adoption support."
Anyone interested in finding out more about becoming adopters for Stockport, Manchester, Salford, Trafford and Cheshire East should contact 0300 123 2676.