[Robin Harritt]

Ms Hodge has answered my MP's letter, She believes that the recent consultation was adequate.

She says:


".... Mr Harritt also makes the point that the consultation exercise on the draft regulations and guidance did not meet the guidance in the Code of Practice on Consultation. I am unable to accept this point. First, the Code of Practice requires that we consult widely through out [sic] the process, allowing a minimum twelve weeks for written consultation. The consultation period on the access to information proposals totaled four months and the document was made widely available through the adoption website, the DfES e-consultation site and in hard copy format. Second, the consultation document also received significant media coverage through the national press, television and radio as well as in the relevant professional journals. I do however admit that some stakeholders experienced delays in obtaining hard copies of the consultation document and officials have pursued these complaints with the department's distribution company, Prolog. Where there was a significant delay in obtaining a hard copy of the document, we allowed stakeholders to submit their consultation responses beyond the deadline date of 31 July.

As I am sure Mr Harritt will appreciate, the access to information provisions represent one of the most complex and emotive areas of the Adoption and Children Act. That is why we need the input of stakeholders to help shape the final document and ensure it is clear, concise and workable. I am satisfied that any person with an interest in adoption was given ample opportunity to submit their views. We received a large number of responses from a wide range of people involved in adoption - including adoption professionals, adopted people, adoptive parents and birth relatives. We are now looking carefully at the comments and suggestions that have been submitted as work is taken forward to finalise the regulations and guidance by the end of this year. We will be providing feedback on those responses as required by the Code of Practice...."


If anyone disagrees with Ms Hodge that this has been an adequate consultation or that it has complied with the Code of Practice which was outlined at the end of the Feedback form for the consultation, (and the same applies to the consultation on Adoption Support Survives and Adoption Support Agencies Regulations) please make your views known to Ms Margaret Hodge MP at dfes.ministers@dfes.gsi.gov.uk and if you feel inclined to make a formal complaint about just how poor the consultations have been then you can make a formal complaint in the first instance to:

David Holmes, Divisional Manager,
DfES, Looked After Children Division
Room 101 Wellington House,
133-155 Waterloo Road,
London SE1 8UG.

Perhaps then she will take another look at their definition of "stakeholders in adoption" various social work organisations may well have been given a say, few of us who are genuinely affected by this legislation have been.

Robin Harritt

http://harritt.net

[Robin Harritt]

.
Oh dear what a dreadful spelling mistake!!!

Just for the search engines

Margaret Hodge MP and the recent consultations

[Uncle Albert]

Not that anyone will have noticed

[twitchytally]

Thanks for the update Robin, l will respond to Margeret Hodge in the way that you suggest, not that l would expect any level of understanding, integrity or decency in response from her, as is known by her history towards myself or anyone who opposes her viewpoint, the same being true, it seems, for all in the childcare system. My personal complaints to the local authority complaints panel, along with the local authority ombudsman, as with my family`s, completely ignored, such is the level of democracy in uk.

Ironically, but perhaps typically, it seems the opposition group that oppose childcare practises, that are having the most impact, be it by illegal methods, are the fathers for justice. good luck to them.

If l sound bitter its due to enduring a year or more of a childcare system that seems to walk all over decent people, morality, honesty, and legality, seeming of little consequence, as is the suffering and damage done to families, and often the children involved also.

My own family, and their child, now seeming like a lost cause to us
which l will never forgive them for, but l will continue to oppose a sytem that is so inhumane and damaging to so many, and will continue increasing in our present society of conflict and division.
They can see and hear the suffering and damage they cause, why wont they listen and at least attempt to improve it all.

It is Sunday morning, you know. .

[Robin Harritt]

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If you need any idea of what to write

http://complaintletter.harritt.net

This is a copy and print disabled PDF. It gives an idea of why I do not think that the consultation complied with government guidelines for such consultations.

Robin