WIRRAL Council is part of a new Regional Adoption Agency that starts work next month.

The new agency – AIM (Adoption in Merseyside) – will become operational from April 1.

It brings together a team of around 50 staff from across Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral councils, who have been seconded into the new organisation on their existing terms and conditions.

Its creation follows a successful bid to the Government by local authorities on Merseyside to create a new shared service to get more children with a plan for adoption placed successfully and as quickly as possible.

Responsibilities include recruitment, approval and ongoing support for adopters, tracking, linking and matching of children and the training and development of staff.

Although the Agency has a centralised hub in Halewood, staff will continue to have a presence in each of their local authority areas to ensure they retain close links with social work staff.

Every year, the four local authorities approve around 100 adopters each year and place approximately 140 children for adoption.

Councillor Bernie Mooney, Wirral cabinet member for Children and Families, said: "It is vital we are able to offer fast and safe support to those children who need to be adopted.

"Working with our partners throughout the City Region should mean we are able to offer more support to more children, through a quicker and more efficient service."

Colette Dutton, Knowsley's executive director (Children), said: "Adoption really can change a child’s life so I’m delighted that the Regional Adoption Agency could offer greater opportunities for children in our region.

"Having shared resources, expertise and processes will provide enormous benefits to our children and young people, as well as the local authorities taking part."

Cllr Barry Kushner, cabinet member for children’s services in Liverpool, said: "AIM will mean we are able to provide a better service for children and adopters.

"At the moment each local authority is effectively competing with each other for adopters and there is a great deal of duplication of effort.

"By creating a regional agency, we are able to widen the net of potential adopters, share expertise and ideas and make sure adopters and children get a consistent level of support, regardless of where they live.

"This shows the potential of working across authorities and further collaboration on residential care, fostering and leaving care."

Cllr John-Joseph Kelly, cabinet member for children, Schools and Safeguarding at Sefton Council, said: "We know that we often receive enquiries from across the Liverpool City Region, so it makes sense that we are collaborating with our neighbours to meet the challenges we face together and increase the potential for our vulnerable children to find a forever family.

"I'm looking forward to this new regional adoption agency making the process for would be adopters quicker and more effective as both they and children in Sefton and the wider region are matched so they begin their new family life."