NOTTINGHAM City Council has been praised for the way its adoption service works.

Ofsted inspectors rated the service as good, with some outstanding features, after a visit last month.

The report commended the council's adoption agency for providing "a good, safe service to children and families".

It also praised the council's campaign to recruit families who will adopt disabled children, and its "matching evenings" for approved adopters to consider children who are traditionally harder to place.

The report added: "A very impressive initiative is the recruitment of dual status adopters who will initially care for children as foster carers, thus enabling very young children to be placed with them, preventing the need for more changes of placement than are absolutely necessary.

"The agency provides a very good range of services to support adoptive families, before and after the adoption order is made. They are linked with an approved adopter who acts as a 'buddy', there is a support group for lesbian and gay adopters, social activities are arranged and they have one year's membership of a support agency, paid for by the agency."

One couple who adopted two girls, aged five and three, in March said they had been impressed with the help they had received.

The woman, 49, said: "It wasn't easy at first as the process was quite slow and we had an interview with a panel which we weren't well prepared for.

"But once we got the adoption order it has been very good. The social worker was very helpful and the girls have settled with us here very quickly.

"It is also important to let people know you can adopt even if you think you're too old.

"My husband and I thought we'd be too old but we were told because we were healthy, then we would be fine to adopt."

The report highlighted areas which Ofsted believes the service can improve, including making sure that telephone enquiries are made to each referee of adopters to verify written references.

Coun David Mellen, portfolio holder for Children's Services, said: "We are delighted that the inspectors' report recognises the consistent hard work of our staff and those of our partner agencies.

"We have focused our efforts since the last inspection on a number of new initiatives which have been commented on favourably by the inspectors. We are particularly pleased that they rated our support to adopters as outstanding.

Anyone wanting more information about adopting or fostering in Nottingham should call the service on 0115 915 1234 or visit www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/love.

marcus.boocock@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk