Newspoints.

Holmes, David

There is a lot to report since my last contribution to Adoption & Fostering. We held a pilot private fostering awareness raising day in London on January 23 this year. The day had a good response from local authorities and media across London, but our accompanying You Gov survey testing awareness of private fostering in London underlined just how low awareness is generally about the need to notify these arrangements to local authorities. Only 18 per cent of those surveyed were able to recognise the correct definition of private fostering. I am therefore particularly pleased to announce that we have been successful in obtaining funding from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to run a national private fostering awareness campaign later this year. I hope this national campaign will manage to generate as much interest as National Adoption Week.

On the policy and legislative front we continue to see a huge amount of activity across the UK. In England the Children and Young Persons Bill is still being fiercely debated in Parliament and in Wales the continuing development of the Legislative Competence Order for Vulnerable Children creates the potential for bespoke Wales-only primary legislation in this area in the future. At the same time, BAAF Scotland is involved in the implementation of the new kinship care and fostering strategy for Scotland, and in Northern Ireland we continue to contribute to the ongoing debate about adoption reform.

I would like to take the opportunity in this edition of the journal to bid a public farewell to two outstanding members of BAAF's staff. Firstly, Mary Romaine, Director of BAAF Cymru since 1995, is retiring at the end of March. Mary has been a tremendous Director in Wales, a fine member of BAAF's senior management team and a thoughtful contributor to the journal herself. She will be much missed by everyone who has worked with her.

I would also like to bid a special final farewell to Deborah Cullen, BAAF's Legal Consultant in England and Wales, who will be retiring from BAAF in April after 25 years in post. Deborah will be familiar to journal readers as the author of Legal Notes. All who have worked with Deborah over the years comment on her huge generosity of spirit and willingness to share her time and vast legal knowledge with everyone. Deborah has shown a remarkable commitment to BAAF and to the development of child and family law and policy. Her contribution to her chosen field will continue to matter for years to come.

I look forward to giving you details about Mary and Deborah's successors in the next edition of the journal. In the meantime, I know you will join with me in wishing them both richly deserved long, happy and healthy retirements.