The Welsh Government has put in place plans to strengthen adoption and fostering services in Wales following the closure of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) Cymru, it was announced today (Weds 9th Sept).
From today, the National Adoption Service will run the Wales Adoption Register. Relevant BAAF Cymru staff will transfer to the National Adoption Service.
Training, consultancy, legal advice and an advice line for the public and professionals will be run by a new body set up by the St David’s Children Society, to be known as the Association for Fostering and Adoption Cymru @ St David’s. The new body will provide training and other services tailored to Wales. The service will recruit from former BAAF Cymru staff.
Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford said:
“These arrangements will strengthen and secure the future of the adoption and fostering services which BAAF Cymru provided, as well as securing jobs for staff employed by BAAF Cymru.
“As soon as we became aware of BAAF’s plans to close, we negotiated with its administrators to ensure services remained stable for an extra six weeks to support vulnerable children and assist people seeking to foster and adopt.
“During this six-week period we have promoted a robust new structure that builds on BAAF Cymru’s expertise across a range of services and activities. BAAF Cymru staff have continued to provide these services until the day of closure so there has been no interruption in services.
“The National Adoption Service shares our goal to develop and improve the Wales Adoption Register. I see these new arrangements as a step towards making the register even more effective and easier to use.
“I am confident that they will lead to improved services and I want to thank all the staff and organisations involved for working with us. Together we have put arrangements in place to help support the most vulnerable children and young people in Wales. I hope to be able to make an announcement about the future of the independent review mechanism very soon.”
Suzanne Griffiths, director of operations for the National Adoption Register, said:
“I am pleased to have been able to work with the Welsh Government and colleagues in BAAF Cymru to ensure the register can continue to operate. Ensuring this will mean children who need to be adopted are unaffected as well as providing a further opportunity to strengthen and develop the role the register plays in adoption services in Wales.
”The Wales Adoption Register is just one of the ways adoption services use to match children to adopters. The National Adoption Service would like to assure adopters and professionals who use the Wales Adoption Register that there will be no disruption to the service they receive.”
Gerry Cooney, chief executive of St David’s Children Society, said:
“It is our absolute priority to continue services which will support the future of adoption services in Wales as well as other permanent arrangements. The integration of core elements of the BAAF legacy will ensure the continuation of vital services, including an information helpline, training and consultancy.
“These services will offer independent information, support and expertise for professionals and members of the public that will assist and improve the lives of children and young people separated from their birth families.
“The continuation of services has only been possible due to the superb support from the Welsh Government. We will now work together to harness the highly-skilled expertise of both organisations to achieve our vision of placing children in their forever homes and in offering support where needed to all those affected by adoption and other care arrangements.”
For more information please call the Welsh Government press office on 029 2089 8012
Notes:
- The new service from the Association for Fostering and Adoption Cymru @ St David’s will offer a knowledge hub offering learning resources that will promote and reflect best practice. The new service will support the development of Welsh-specific resources and publications to support good practice in Wales.
- In addition, practice forums, groups working with children including health and legal advisors, and information exchanges will be available for professionals and people living with children.
- The only change people who use the National Adoption Register will experience is a different telephone number and email contact. These are being publicised on the website, by partner agencies and letters have been sent to adopters and professionals.
To contact the National Adoption Service for Wales email:contact@adoptcymru.com
For more Welsh Government news visit: www.wales.gov.uk/news
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Heddiw (dydd Mercher 9 Medi), cyhoeddwyd bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud cynlluniau i gryfhau gwasanaethau mabwysiadu a maethu yng Nghymru yn dilyn cau Cymdeithas Mabwysiadu a Maethu Prydain (BAAF).
O heddiw, bydd y Gwasanaeth Mabwysiadu Cenedlaethol yn gyfrifol am gadw Cofrestr Fabwysiadu Cymru. Bydd staff perthnasol BAAF Cymru yn trosglwyddo i’r Gwasanaeth Mabwysiadu Cenedlaethol.
Bydd cyfrifoldeb am hyfforddiant, ymgynghori, cyngor cyfreithiol a llinell gymorth i’r cyhoedd a gweithwyr proffesiynol yn cael ei roi i gorff newydd i’w sefydlu gan Gymdeithas Plant Dewi Sant, o dan yr enw Cymdeithas Maethu a Mabwysiadu Cymru @ Dewi Sant. Bydd y corff newydd yn cynnig hyfforddiant a gwasanaethau eraill a fydd yn benodol i Gymru. Bydd y gwasanaeth yn recriwtio o blith cyn staff BAAF Cymru.
Dywedodd y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Mark Drakeford:
“Bydd y trefniadau hyn yn cryfhau ac yn sicrhau dyfodol y gwasanaethau mabwysiadu a maethu yr oedd BAAF Cymru yn eu darparu, yn ogystal â sicrhau swyddi i staff oedd yn cael eu cyflogi gan BAAF Cymru.
“Cyn gynted ag i ni wybod am gynlluniau BAAF i gau, cawsom drafodaethau gyda’r gweinyddwyr i sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau’n parhau’n sefydlog am chwe wythnos arall i helpu plant a chynorthwyo pobl sydd eisiau maethu a mabwysiadu.
“Yn ystod y cyfnod hwn o chwe wythnos, rydym wedi hyrwyddo strwythur cadarn newydd sy’n adeiladu ar arbenigedd BAAF Cymru ar draws ystod o wasanaethau a gweithgareddau. Mae staff BAAF Cymru wedi parhau i ddarparu’r gwasanaethau hyn nes y dyddiad cau, felly doedd dim tarfu ar wasanaethau.
“Mae’r Gwasanaeth Mabwysiadu Cenedlaethol yn rhannu ein nod o ddatblygu a gwella Cofrestr Fabwysiadu Cymru. Rwy’n credu bod y trefniadau newydd hyn yn gam tuag at wneud y gofrestr yn fwy effeithiol fyth ac yn haws ei defnyddio.
“Rwy’n hyderus y byddant yn arwain at wella gwasanaethau a hoffwn ddiolch i’r holl staff a sefydliadau cysylltiedig am weithio gyda ni. Gyda’n gilydd, rydym wedi gosod trefniadau i gefnogi’r plant a’r bobl ifanc yn y sefyllfaoedd mwyaf bregus yng Nghymru. Rwy’n gobeithio y byddaf yn gallu gwneud cyhoeddiad yn fuan iawn ynglŷn â dyfodol y drefn adolygu annibynnol.”
Dywedodd Suzanne Griffiths, cyfarwyddwr gweithrediadau’r Gofrestr Fabwysiadu Genedlaethol:
“Rwy’n falch o fod wedi gallu gweithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru a chyfeillion yn BAAF Cymru i sicrhau bod modd i’r gofrestr barhau i weithredu. Roed hyn yn sicrhau bod dim effaith ar blant sydd angen eu mabwysiadu ac yn cynnig cyfle pellach i gryfhau a datblygu’r rôl y mae’r gofrestr yn ei chwarae mewn gwasanaethau mabwysiadu yng Nghymru.
”Cofrestr Fabwysiadu Cymru yw un o’r amryw ffyrdd i wasanaethau mabwysiadu allu paru plant a mabwysiadwyr. Hoffai’r Gwasanaeth Mabwysiadu Cenedlaethol sicrhau mabwysiadwyr a gweithwyr proffesiynol sy’n defnyddio Cofrestr Fabwysiadu Cymru na fydd unrhyw darfu ar y gwasanaeth y maent yn ei dderbyn.”
Dywedodd Gerry Cooney, prif weithredwr Cymdeithas Plant Dewi Sant:
“Ein blaenoriaeth bennaf yw parhau â gwasanaethau a fydd yn cefnogi gwasanaethau mabwysiadu yng Nghymru at y dyfodol, yn ogystal â threfniadau parhaol eraill. Bydd integreiddio elfennau craidd BAAF yn sicrhau y gall gwasanaethau hanfodol barhau, gan gynnwys llinell wybodaeth, hyfforddiant ac ymgynghori.
“Bydd y gwasanaethau hyn yn cynnig gwybodaeth annibynnol, cymorth ac arbenigedd i weithwyr proffesiynol ac aelodau o’r cyhoedd er mwyn helpu i wella bywydau plant a phobl ifanc sydd wedi’u gwahanu oddi wrth eu teuluoedd naturiol.
“Mae gwasanaethau wedi parhau dim ond drwy gefnogaeth wych gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Nawr, byddwn ni’n cydweithio i fanteisio ar arbenigedd hynod fedrus y ddau sefydliad er mwyn gwireddu ein gweledigaeth o roi plant yn eu cartrefi oes a chynnig cymorth lle mae ei angen i bawb sy’n mynd drwy fabwysiadu a threfniadau gofal eraill.”
I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, ffoniwch swyddfa’r wasg Llywodraeth Cymru ar 029 2089 8012
Leon Griffiths
Senior Press Officer / Uwch Swyddog y Wasg
Minister for Health & Social Services / Y Gweinidog dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol.
Welsh Government / Llywodraeth Cymru
Tel / Ffon – 029 2089 8012
Mob / Ffon Symudol – 07817 203515
