Chamber
Plenary, 07 Dec 2006
07 Dec 2006 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
The minister will appreciate that we broadly support the Executive's amendments, for the reasons that he expressed; we have discussed these matters at committee many times. However, I will focus on the two amendments in my name. Amendment 4A, which was suggested by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering Scotland, makes it clear that services to birth parents who are relinquishing their children for adoption should be an integral part of the general adoption service.
Counselling and other assistance should be available on request, as is the case under the current law. If no provision of that kind is made in the bill, that service will be treated by local authorities as if it were a support service, which is not provided automatically on request but is subject to a needs assessment. Parliament is well aware that the assessment process is often subject to delays, and even waiting lists, depending on resource pressures at local authority level.
The BAAF Scotland argues that, by their very presentation, birth parents will need that service. It is not hard to foresee the prospect of young, perhaps desperate, expectant mothers breaking off contact with agencies that refuse immediate help. Section 50, on urgent provision, does not cover that scenario. Its focus is on an adoptive family facing urgent problems, rather than on a relinquishing birth parent.
Amendment 4B would extend the list of support services provided beyond the limited list that is laid out in subsection (1D) in Executive amendment 4. Adoptive families require access to services that go well beyond counselling, guidance and assistance in relation to the adoption process. Those services can range from specialist therapeutic services, helping traumatised children to heal psychologically, to respite care. As members will be aware, current provision is subject to a postcode lottery. Recognition in the bill of the wide range of services required by adoptive families is a necessary first step to improving the current system. If the minister will not accept amendment 4B, what commitment is he prepared to give that the types of services that I have mentioned will be included in regulations, as defined in amendment 8?
Counselling and other assistance should be available on request, as is the case under the current law. If no provision of that kind is made in the bill, that service will be treated by local authorities as if it were a support service, which is not provided automatically on request but is subject to a needs assessment. Parliament is well aware that the assessment process is often subject to delays, and even waiting lists, depending on resource pressures at local authority level.
The BAAF Scotland argues that, by their very presentation, birth parents will need that service. It is not hard to foresee the prospect of young, perhaps desperate, expectant mothers breaking off contact with agencies that refuse immediate help. Section 50, on urgent provision, does not cover that scenario. Its focus is on an adoptive family facing urgent problems, rather than on a relinquishing birth parent.
Amendment 4B would extend the list of support services provided beyond the limited list that is laid out in subsection (1D) in Executive amendment 4. Adoptive families require access to services that go well beyond counselling, guidance and assistance in relation to the adoption process. Those services can range from specialist therapeutic services, helping traumatised children to heal psychologically, to respite care. As members will be aware, current provision is subject to a postcode lottery. Recognition in the bill of the wide range of services required by adoptive families is a necessary first step to improving the current system. If the minister will not accept amendment 4B, what commitment is he prepared to give that the types of services that I have mentioned will be included in regulations, as defined in amendment 8?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill. Members should have in front of them the bill as amended at st...
Section 1—Duty of local authority to provide adoption support services
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Group 1 is on adoption services. I will put the question on the amendments to amendment 4 before putting the question on amendment 4 itself. Amendment 1, in ...
The Deputy Minister for Education and Young People (Robert Brown):
LD
I echo Lord James's earlier comments by acknowledging that the bill is technically complex, as is reflected by the fairly large number of amendments that are...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Not at all.
Robert Brown:
LD
Amendments 4A and 4B were lodged by Adam Ingram. The purpose of amendment 4A is to include counselling and assistance to birth parents who are considering gi...
Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
The minister will appreciate that we broadly support the Executive's amendments, for the reasons that he expressed; we have discussed these matters at commit...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
I support Adam Ingram's amendment 4A, which would include in the categories that are introduced by amendment 4 the provision for counselling to birth parents...
Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab):
Lab
The media focus on more controversial aspects of the bill has obscured the fact that improving the support that is available to adoptive families is at its h...
Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD):
LD
I want to put on record the concerns that the Education Committee expressed about the way in which the bill appeared before it at various stages. When stage ...
Robert Brown:
LD
I can assure Iain Smith that there is nothing to stop local authorities working together. That already happens in many aspects of the work that they do.I acc...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
Does the minister acknowledge that that was not in the bill at stage 1, and that the redefinition of adoption to include the whole process—pre-adoption, duri...
Robert Brown:
LD
I accept that, but it was always our intention nevertheless to improve adoption support services generally. As I recognised early in stage 2, the bringing to...
Amendment 1 agreed to.
Amendments 2 and 3 moved—Robert Brown—and agreed to.
Amendment 4 moved—Robert Brown.
Amendment 4A moved—Mr Adam Ingram.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The question is, that amendment 4A be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members:
No.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
In that case, there will be a division but we will first suspend for five minutes.
Meeting suspended.
On resuming—
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
We will proceed with the division.
ForAdam, Brian (Aberdeen North) (SNP) Aitken, Bill (Glasgow) (Con) Brownlee, Derek (South of Scotland) (Con) Byrne, Ms Rosemary (South of Scotland) (Sol) Can...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The result of the division is: For 36, Against 71, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 4A disagreed to.
Amendment 4B moved—Mr Adam Ingram.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The question is, that amendment 4B be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members:
No.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
There will be a division.