Adoption Policy Review Group
Secure and Safe Homes for our Most Vulnerable Children
On 4 April 2001, the Scottish Executive launched a review of adoption policy. The review was carried out by an independent Adoption Policy Review Group (APRG), made of experts in relevant fields and chaired by Sheriff Principal Graham Cox. The aim of the review was to identify weaknesses within the current adoption system, and suggest ways to modernise and improve adoption.
The first phase of the review concentrated on adoption practices and the report of the first phase was published in June 2002. Phase I recommendations are being taken forward by the Scottish Executive in partnership with local authorities and voluntary organisations. Phase II of the review was launched in March 2003 and looked at the legal framework for adoption and other forms of permanence, as well as a wide range of related subjects, some of which had come out of Phase I. The adoption issues examined by the Group included the continuing need for adoption, adoption by unmarried couples and contact with birth families. Other issues explored by the Group included the provision of support services to families; court procedures; aspects of foster care; and access to information about adoption cases. The Group also considered the role of the children's hearing system.
The APRG report on Phase II, Adoption: Better Choices for our Children, was published by the Scottish Executive on 10 June 2005. On the same day the Deputy Minister for Education and Young People announced the Executive's initial response to the recommendations in the report and the Executive's full response was published on 30 June 2005 in the consultation paper Secure and Safe Homes for our Most Vulnerable Children. The Scottish Executive invited responses to the consultation paper from a wide range of groups and organisations working in the field, including those with personal experience of adoption and fostering, adoption agencies, local authorities, the legal profession and faith-based organisations. In addition, the Executive invited interested members of the public to respond to the consultation and a series of public meetings were held in Glasgow, Fort William, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The consultation period ran from 30 June until 31 October. In total, 497 responses were received before the closing date, 384 from individuals and 113 from organisations. All responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us reach a decision on the adoption policy review. We aim to issue a report on the consultation exercise by December 2005. This report will be available on the Scottish Executive consultation website ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations).
Individual respondents were asked whether they wished their responses to be made public, and if so, whether they wanted their names and addresses to be published. All respondents who indicated before the closing date that they wished to have their responses made public have been included in this folder.
Named Individuals
Alasdair Aitken
David Alford
Aileen Baird
Martin Ball
Pamela Barr
Martyn Bateman
Ronald Beasley
Ron Beaty
Mary Bell
Andrew Best
Lindsey Louise Biddle & Rev. John W Mann
George Birse
Prof. Alastair Bissett-Johnson
Peter & Susan Blake
Lorna Brook
ET Bruce
Sylvia Buchanon
AJ & MC Byers
David Campbell
Ruth Campbell-Jack
David Cargin
Ian M Christie
AWF Coghill
Stephen D Cohen
Helen & Ian Collie
GE Collins
William M Cook
Kenneth A Cotty
John Cumming
Mervyn Currie
Fiona Denman
R Doyle
Allison Dunbar
C Findlay
James Flett
John Forbes
T Forrest
Catherine M & Douglas Fraser
Allan G Gardiner
Ivy Garriock
Jo Geevers
Dominic Gillen
Douglas Greening Tucker
Elizabeth Grieve
Christopher R Groves
Andrew and Sarah Harmsworth
Ralph Harness
Caroline Healy
Ewan Henderson
Stephen Hicks
Aileen A Hopewell
Katherine Hulatt
Mike Johnston
James Kane
Jennie Kermode
Ron Lavalette
Fiona Macaskill
GI Macaskill
Simon MacDonald
DJF Macdonald
Donald Mackay
Kathryn Mackenzie
Alison MacLean
David Maclellan
William & Mary Macleod
Calum Macleod
Angus MacLeod
William Macleod
Jonathan & Karen Marks
James Gordon Mathew MA BD
Noreen McIver
Alistair McKenzie
Elaine McKibben
Marion McMillan
Peter GB McNeill
Joan F Metcalfe
SJ Moore
Fran Morrison
Watson Moyes
Alex Muir
Elizabeth Muir
Margaret Munro
TR Nixon
Anne M Oliphant
Trudie Palmer
Russ Paterson
Barbara G Paton
Grace Paton
R Phaup
Rena Phillips
Ann Philp
Roger Platfoot
Stephen Purser
David J Randall
Paul Read
Margaret Reilly
Muriel and Alex Reynolds
Moira Ritchie
Evelyn Robinson
George Rodger
Anja Schluifelder
John S Scott
Irene K Shearer
Mary and James Simpson
Donald Smith
Calum Smith
Jock Stein
WK Stewart
Margaret Anne Stewart
The Stirlings of Dumfries and Galloway
Keith and Nina Taylor
Elizabeth Thomson
Grace Thomson
Jamie and Christine Tonge
John Triseliotis
John Turnbull
Vera M Tweddle
Marten Walker
Alison Walker
Wilfrid A Weale
E Graham Wilson
Margaret Wilson
Lesley Wilson
DL Wood
Prof. David Wright
Petitions
Anonymous Individuals
Anonymous Part 1
Anonymous Part 2
Organisations
Adoption UK
BAAF
Barnardo's Scotland
Barnardo's - Scottish Adoption Advice Service
Birthlink
Bishops' Conference of Scotland
BMA Scotland
British Association of Social Workers
Care Commission
CARE For Scotland
Children 1st.
Children in Scotland
Christian Institute
Christian Outreach Centre Inverness
Christian Peoples Alliance - Scotland
Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland Presbytery of Ayr
COSLA
Couple Counselling Scotland
Dalry Trinity Church
Equal Opportunities Commission
Evangelical Alliance Scotland
Faculty of Advocates
Fort William Christian Fellowship
Foster Care Associates
Fostering Network
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Public Questions and Morals Committee
Free Church of Scotland Committee on Public Questions
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Religion and Morals Committee
Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance
GMC Scotland
Grandparents Apart Self Help Group (Kilmarnock)
Grandparents Apart Self Help Group
Kingserve
Law Society of Scotland
Lecropt Kirk
LGBT Parents
NCH Scotland
NHS Scotland
NUS Scotland
NUS Scotland LGBT Committee
One Parent Families Scotland
Open Episcopal Church
Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Reach Out Highland
RCGP Scotland
RCN Scotland
RCOG
RCPCH Scotland
Salvation Army
Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People
Scottish Adoption Association
Scottish Association of Children's Panels
SCRA
Scottish Council of Jewish Communities
Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care
Scottish Legal Aid Board
Sheriffs' Association
Sheriffs Principal
St Andrew's Children's Society
St Margaret's Children and Family Care Society
Stonewall Scotland
Tayside Adoptees Group
UK Men's Movement
UNISON Scotland
United Reformed Church
Local Authorities
Aberdeen City Council
Angus Council
Clackmannanshire Council
Dumfries and Galloway Council
East Dunbartonshire Council
East Lothian Council
East Renfrewshire Council
Falkirk Council
Fife Council
City of Glasgow Council
Highland Council
Inverclyde Council
Midlothian Council
Moray Council
North Ayrshire
North Lanarkshire Council
Orkney Islands Council
Perth and Kinross Council
Renfrewshire Council
Scottish Borders Council
South Ayrshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
Stirling Council
West Dunbartonshire Council
East Renfrewshire CPAC
South Ayrshire CPAC
Renfrewshire CPAC