Camden New Journal - Letters: Adoption

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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 6 September 2007

Adoption can be of benefit

• YOUR article (We set our own targets on child adoptions, August 30) was a valuable addition to the national debate around adoption targets.
While some government targets for the performance of local councils can be a helpful spur to action, I am suspicious of targets like these which count the number of possible adoptions or special guardianship orders which might be achieved in any one year for the children in our care.
Every case is different and council staff are right to consider each case on its merits rather than make decisions to achieve a government target.
At the same time it’s important for us to have robust plans in place to ensure we can match children with adoptive parents or special guardians as quickly as possible – where the court has decided adoption is in their best interests – so they are not spending months or even years waiting in care.
In the right circumstances adoption can be of enormous benefit to children who might have had a difficult start in life and they can gain so much from the stability of growing up in a loving family setting.
When it comes to child protection, safeguarding and children’s futures I cannot stress more emphatically our overriding aim of getting it right and doing the best for every child, every time.
Thus, the real target for us is to make sure that the right decision is taken in each case to secure the best outcomes for children who come into our care.
CLLR JOHN BYRANT
executive member for children, Camden Council

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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