RADICAL plans to reinvent the adoption process could mean age, race and so-called anti-social habits such as smoking no longer determine how a prospective couple is judged. So can a 45-year-old smoker with a different skin colour provide the same kind of loving home as a younger, non-smoking mother and father? MIKE RIBBECK investigates.

JOANNE Atkinson's parents were over 40 when they collected her from a Rossendale children's home aged six and adopted her as their own little girl.

The woman, abandoned at two-months-old, remembers them fondly as "the best people in the world".

But in today's politically correct environment, Arthur and Rose Wilcox might not have been able to adopt. They would have been too old. But those rules are set to change.

Health Minister Paul Boateng has announced sweeping changes aimed at revolutionising the system. He said: "For too long adoption has been regarded as the last and least acceptable option.

"Some local authorities still refuse to place children for adoption because one of the prospective parents is 40-plus, or deemed the wrong colour, or smokes, or because of the belief that the family must be kept together, even at the expense of the child's best interests.

"This shows a fundamental failure to understand the nature of adoption and its advantages for a child unable to live with his or her own family." And the minister wants the new policy "rigorously and rapidly" implemented by social services.

Mrs Atkinson, 53, agrees. She now lives in Nelson with her husband, former Pendle councillor Len, and the couple, Mayor and Mayoress in 1994, have two children of their own and have fostered many more in recent years.

She said: "The only thing I noticed as a child was that my mum was the same age as some of my friend's grandmas, but it didn't bother me. They were my parents and I thought they were brilliant.

"I firmly believe that bringing up children has nothing to do with being perfect, with a perfect house and plenty of money.

"Some children come from the poorest backgrounds but have the happiest childhood memories and that's what counts, not how old someone is or whether they smoke or keep the house immaculate."

The new guide also aims to end prejudice by adoption agencies against couples who want to adopt children from another country.

Social service chiefs across East Lancashire will now have to review their policies and practice, and ensure adoption services are reviewed every three years. But some areas claim they have already adopted many of the new ideas.

Blackburn with Darwen Council social services vice-chairman Jack Bury said: "We welcome the announcement as it reinforces our current policy. "All our decisions are made to meet the interests of children to be placed in families of the same cultural background, but not at the cost of everything else."

He added: "Our overriding concern is to place children in loving secure families and not leave them languishing in residential care.

"It is also important to stress that adoption is no longer about babies. Increasingly we need families for older children, sibling groups and children with special needs."

Blackburn's Jack Straw and Hyndburn's Greg Pope have both warmly welcomed the move.

Home Secretary Mr Straw said: "This is first class because now the main issue will be the children's interests.

Government whip Greg Pope, a former education welfare officer, said: "I think this is a long overdue bout of common sense. "Some local authorities - but not Lancashire - had taken to adopting nonsensical rules about adoption.

"It was ridiculous to say that someone could not adopt because they smoked, were the wrong colour of over 40."

People interested in adopting should ring Blackburn with Darwen's family placement team on 01254 587862.

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