WARRINGTON’S new adoption service – operated jointly with two neighbouring councils – has been officially launched.
The borough council has teamed up with Wigan and St Helens councils to launch WwiSH – the first shared adoption service of its kind in the country.
The service will save money for all three authorities and also widen the choice for people seeking to adopt children.
It is hoped it will plug the gap between children seeking adoption and people wishing to adopt. Currently the three councils have 56 children needing adoptive families.
In the North West there has been a nine per cent rise in the number of children seeking adoption but only a four per cent rise in adopters. The new service focuses on putting the needs of the children first.
Cllr Terry O’Neill, leader of Warrington Borough Council said: “This is a very important subject and one we have got to get right from the start. I am very excited by this launch and firmly believe that it will enable us to take this service forward and find the best possible families for our children. This shared service will give our young people the chances they deserve.”
Cllr Susan Loudon, cabinet member for Children and Young People at Wigan Council, added: “It’s a fact that there are more children needing adoption than there are adopters. This new approach will hopefully give greater placement choice to our children and a better chance to match their life needs.”
Cllr Marie Rimmer, leader of St Helens Council said: “Like elsewhere in the country we do have difficulty in attracting people willing to adopt. We have all recognised the issues for a number of years.
“We hope that by sharing the service and widening the net we can help to place more children with adopted parents. The new shared service will be more efficient and effective and has brought a wealth of experience together into one dedicated team.”
Pictured: The new WWiSH team is based at their headquarters in Newton Road, Lowton.
