Adoptions

Dear Melizza,

We do not deal with Childrens Services, Lancashire County Council will
be able to deal with your request and I have copied them into this
reply.

The contact details are as below.

Address: Access to Information Team
Lancashire County Council
P O Box 78
County Hall
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 8XJ

Email: [email address]
Phone: 01772 5-31116

Regards,

Elizabeth Phillipson
Information Manager
South Ribble Borough Council

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Dear Ms Moore,

Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

We are writing to acknowledge receipt of your email, forwarded by South
Ribble Borough Council, in which you request the disclosure of information
under the provisions of the above Act.

We have begun a search for the information you require and shall contact
you again when we are in a position to respond further. Should we envisage
any delays, or require more details from you, we will contact you
immediately.

In the meantime, if you have any queries about the above, please do not
hesitate to contact us, quoting ref. 787.459

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the Freedom of Information Team

Assistant Access to Information Officer

Freedom of Information | Access to Information Team

Lancashire County Council

Phone: 01772 531116

[1]www.lancashire.gov.uk

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Lancashire, a place where everyone matters

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References

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Dear Ms Moore,

Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

We are writing in response to your request for information made under the
provisions of the above Act.

After conducting our initial investigations it has become clear that we
need clarification from you. This is as South Ribble Borough Council is
not an adoption agency and would be unable to supply you the information
requested.

We would be able to undertake a search for the information you requested
in respect of Lancashire County Council if you wish. Could you please
confirm if you would us to proceed with your request.

Section 1(3) of the Freedom of Information Act states that a public
authority is not obliged to comply with a request for information in
situations where it requires further details in order to do so. As such,
to enable us to process your request we will require you to specify if you
would us to proceed with your request for the Lancashire County Council
area.

If you have any queries about the above please do not hesitate to contact
us, quoting ref 787.459.

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the Freedom of Information Team

Assistant Access to Information Officer

Freedom of Information | Access to Information Team

Lancashire County Council

Phone: 01772 531116

[1]www.lancashire.gov.uk

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Lancashire, a place where everyone matters

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References

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1. http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/f...

Dear Ms Moore,

Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Further to your email dated 23^rd June 2010, in which you request the
disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are
now in a position to respond.

I would like to know how many children have been forcibly adopted (against
parental consent and wishes) since 2006.

I note from the initial correspondence that the request was made to South
Ribble Borough Council. This council is not an adoption agency and you
have clarified that information from the whole of Lancashire is
acceptable.

Between April 2006 and April 2010 268 children were adopted through
Lancashire County Council. Of these, 5 were what are termed relinquished
babies i.e. mother (usually) asked for the child to be adopted. The
remainder of the children (263) were either subject to a freeing order or
a placement order. Both these orders imply that the children were placed
for adoption against parental wishes as the children were subject to care
proceedings. It may be that the parents, having listened to the evidence
during the care proceedings, agreed to the making of a freeing order or
placement order at the end of the proceedings. We do not record whether or
not parents opposed the child being placed for adoption at the end of the
care proceedings.

Of the 268 children when the adoption application was heard in 163 of the
cases the final order was unopposed. In 121 of the cases parents consent
was disposed with by the judge.

No children have been forcibly adopted to the best knowledge of the
service. At the time of care proceedings a guardian is appointed to
represent the interests of the child and it is very unlikely that a
guardian would support an adoption plan if this was opposed by the child.
Similarly, at the time of the adoption hearing the judge specifically
seeks out the child's view.

This response addresses only public law proceedings. The authority does
not keep a record of parental consent to adoption in private law
proceedings. A typical example of this may be birth parents separate and
mother remarries. The two decide to adopt the child of the first marriage.
Father opposes this but the judge on balance makes the order. We do not
keep a cumulative record of this.

We trust that our response is to your satisfaction, but in the event that
you wish to complain about the manner in which your enquiry has been
handled, you should write in the first instance to The Freedom of
Information Officer, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall,
Preston PR1 8XJ, or email [1][email address]

If, after this stage, you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to refer
the matter to the Information Commissioner, whose contact details are as
follows:

The Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545700

Email: [2][email address]

Website: [3]http://www.ico.gov.uk

Your request will now be closed as of this date.

Yours sincerely

A Martin

Access to Information Officer

Freedom of Information

Lancashire County Council

PO Box 78

County Hall

Preston

PR1 8XJ

Tel: (01772) 531116

Fax: (01772) 530949

Email: [4][email address]

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Lancashire, a place where everyone matters

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References

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4. mailto:[email address]
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