ADSS ASYLUM TASK FORCE 
REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE 
 
 
All local authorities are moving to a separation of Children’s Services and Adult 
Services, in relation to social care. The ADSS is itself changing into two separate 
organisations. Asylum crosses both services and to ensure that the taskforce is able 
to represent both of these there will be two co-chairs, Pauline Newman for the 
‘Directors of Children’s Services’ and Peter Hay for the ‘Director’s of Adult Services’. 
  
 
1. To provide an interface between central, regional and local government on issues 
around the statutory responsibilities of Directors of Children’s and Adult Services, for 
adult, family and unaccompanied children who are subject to immigration legislation. 
 
2. To inform and contribute to the European debate on migration issues. 
 
3. To promote the views of Director’s of Children and Adult Services with regard to 
those people who are subject to immigration legislation in order to influence central 
government policy.  
 
4. To disseminate relevant information to Directors of Children and Adult Services. 
 
5. To identify key issues where agency joint working may prove valuable and to 
support this when needed. 
 
6. To identify key stakeholders and work with them in order to achieve best practice.  
 
7. To meet as a policy sounding board on key issues relating to unaccompanied 
asylum seeking children. 
 
8. To ensure a coherent voice on national policy and to promote a uniform and 
equitable approach across local authorities. 
 
8. To promote and disseminate best practice. 
 
Membership 
 
The taskforce is open to any Director across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern 
Ireland.  
 
Other relevant stakeholders –  
A representative from  
LGA 
ALG  
Home Office 
Dept. for Education and Skills 
 
There may be times when some of these representatives are asked to absent 
themselves from part of the meeting.  
 
 
 
 
ADSS Taskforce on Asylum – Revised Terms of Reference 

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Substitutes 
 
A member of the ADSS taskforce may at any time nominate a substitute senior 
manager to attend a meeting  
 
Chairs 
 
The task force will have two co-chairs. Representing the Directors of Children’s 
Services and the Directors of Adult Services. They will chair alternate meetings. The 
two Directors will work closely together, but they will mainly assume responsibility for 
their own directorates.  
 
Meetings – Frequency and Venue 
 
The meetings will be held bi-monthly  
 
The meeting venue will be rotated between London, Birmingham and Manchester. 
 
Subgroups 
 
The task force may at any time create sub groups. The chair of any subgroup will be 
fixed as will the purpose, terms of reference and longevity of the subgroup. 
 
 
September 2006  
 
ADSS Taskforce on Asylum – Revised Terms of Reference 

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