British Association for Adoption and Fostering
Encyclopedia
The British Association for Adoption and Fostering is a UK registered charity and membership organization
that was formed in 1980. David Holmes is its current Chief Executive. David worked as a solicitor
before moving on to children’s services in both local and central government. Anthony Douglas has been the chair of BAAF since November 2003 and has served as Chief Executive of CAFCASS, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
since 2004.
Nicky Campbell
, presenter of BBC Radio 5 Live
, is one of BAAF’s patrons. Campbell was adopted
. Other Patrons are Lord Laming, Nimmy March, Rt Hon. Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss and Annabell Elliot.
called Be My Parent, which also has a website www.bemyparent.org.uk. Both Be My Parent services feature children who need a family to adopt or foster them, and the website also offers general information about adoption and fostering. Every other month, the Be My Parent newspaper contains a 'News & Features' supplement
, with information and articles about a particular adoption and fostering topic.
BAAF also provides advice, publishes books, offers training courses, and holds 10 conferences
a year.
Another service, the the the the the Adoption Register for England and Wales ,is operated by BAAF on behalf of the DCSF and WAG. This Register holds a database of children waiting to be adopted as well as approved prospective adopters awaiting an adoptive placement. In December 2009, BAAF announced the 1000th child to be linked via their service . The Register is based in Leeds,England.BAAF recently was successful in winning a second tender to run the Register from April 2009-2012.
BAAF operates the Independent Review Mechanism in England, on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The remit of the IRM (fostering)is to carry out an independent review of fostering suitability applications from potential and current foster carers whose fostering service provider has decided not to approve them as a foster carer, or to terminate or change the terms of their approval. The IRM (adoption)undertakes an independent review of a prospective adopter's application to adopt where an agency panel's recommendation was not to approve. It also considers adoption disclosure applications from people where an adoption agency is proposing that protected information from adoption records will be disclosed or withheld, contrary to the views expressed by the person the information is about.
BAAF delivers Post Qualifying training in partnership withSheffield Hallam University
in England, Stirling University in Scotland and Queen's University Belfast. It hopes to develop similar training in Wales.:
exposed its use of the word “retard” to refer to critics of adoption by gay men. Mencap
, the charity for people with a learning disability
, called the use of the word a “disgrace”.
BAAF also campaigns include advocating the right for adopted people to receive information about their birth families, as well as for post-care adults who weren’t adopted, and also people who were donor conceived.
BAAF also campaigns to allow support for foster children to stay in care after the age of 18.
Additionally, they run National Adoption Week, which is dedicated to finding families for those children who wait the longest. 2007 marked its 10th anniversary.
In January 2009 BAAFlaunched Somebody Else’s Child, the first national campaign on private fostering.
Membership organization
A membership organization is a broad term for a group or body which has members. Typically any member of the public can join and a membership fee or "subscription" is payable, but arrangements vary widely...
that was formed in 1980. David Holmes is its current Chief Executive. David worked as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
before moving on to children’s services in both local and central government. Anthony Douglas has been the chair of BAAF since November 2003 and has served as Chief Executive of CAFCASS, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service is a non-departmental public body for England and Wales set up to safeguard and promote the welfare of children involved in family court proceedings...
since 2004.
Nicky Campbell
Nicky Campbell
Nicholas Andrew Argyll "Nicky" Campbell is a Scottish radio and television presenter and journalist. He is known for his time presenting on programmes such as the consumer affairs programme Watchdog...
, presenter of BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
, is one of BAAF’s patrons. Campbell was adopted
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
. Other Patrons are Lord Laming, Nimmy March, Rt Hon. Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss and Annabell Elliot.
Services
BAAF publishes a monthly newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
called Be My Parent, which also has a website www.bemyparent.org.uk. Both Be My Parent services feature children who need a family to adopt or foster them, and the website also offers general information about adoption and fostering. Every other month, the Be My Parent newspaper contains a 'News & Features' supplement
Supplement (publishing)
A supplement is a publication that has a role secondary to that of another preceding or concurrent publication.A follow-on publication complements its predecessor, either by bringing it up-to-date , or by otherwise enhancing the predecessor's coverage of a particular topic or subject matter, as in...
, with information and articles about a particular adoption and fostering topic.
BAAF also provides advice, publishes books, offers training courses, and holds 10 conferences
Meeting
In a meeting, two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal setting.- Definitions :An act or process of coming together as an assembly for a common purpose....
a year.
Another service, the the the the the Adoption Register for England and Wales ,is operated by BAAF on behalf of the DCSF and WAG. This Register holds a database of children waiting to be adopted as well as approved prospective adopters awaiting an adoptive placement. In December 2009, BAAF announced the 1000th child to be linked via their service . The Register is based in Leeds,England.BAAF recently was successful in winning a second tender to run the Register from April 2009-2012.
BAAF operates the Independent Review Mechanism in England, on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The remit of the IRM (fostering)is to carry out an independent review of fostering suitability applications from potential and current foster carers whose fostering service provider has decided not to approve them as a foster carer, or to terminate or change the terms of their approval. The IRM (adoption)undertakes an independent review of a prospective adopter's application to adopt where an agency panel's recommendation was not to approve. It also considers adoption disclosure applications from people where an adoption agency is proposing that protected information from adoption records will be disclosed or withheld, contrary to the views expressed by the person the information is about.
BAAF delivers Post Qualifying training in partnership withSheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Hallam University is a higher education institution in South Yorkshire, England, based on two sites in Sheffield. City Campus is located in the city centre, close to Sheffield railway station, and Collegiate Crescent Campus is about two miles away, adjacent to Ecclesall Road in...
in England, Stirling University in Scotland and Queen's University Belfast. It hopes to develop similar training in Wales.:
Campaigns
BAAF campaigned to allow unmarried couples, including same-sex couples, to adopt jointly. In 2009 BAAF made a public apology after the Daily MailDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
exposed its use of the word “retard” to refer to critics of adoption by gay men. Mencap
Mencap
The Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the UK that works with people with a learning disability.-Profile:Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers...
, the charity for people with a learning disability
Learning disability
Learning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
, called the use of the word a “disgrace”.
BAAF also campaigns include advocating the right for adopted people to receive information about their birth families, as well as for post-care adults who weren’t adopted, and also people who were donor conceived.
BAAF also campaigns to allow support for foster children to stay in care after the age of 18.
Additionally, they run National Adoption Week, which is dedicated to finding families for those children who wait the longest. 2007 marked its 10th anniversary.
In January 2009 BAAFlaunched Somebody Else’s Child, the first national campaign on private fostering.