PEOPLE who adopt will be able to get more support from the county council in the future following the allocation of a £60,000 grant.

The money will be used to improve services for adopted children, families, birth parents and adopted adults.

Part of the Department of Health grant will be used to employ a new adoption support worker who will help identify where and how services to these groups of people can be further improved.

One of the changes will be to strengthen the existing Post Box.

This provides a way for birth parents and their children to communicate with each other by letter where appropriate.

The county council is also intending to buy in a number of complementary support services, including a telephone helpline, counselling for adoptive families and counselling for birth parents.

Adoption co-ordinator Jane Dobson said: "It is important there is support for everyone who is involved in the adoption process.

"The grant will be used to fund a number of initiatives that will help to support adoption placements to ensure the children have the best possible care and stability as they grow up."

The new services will be available from the end of October.

Further funding has been promised by the Government for another two years so that the county's adoption services can be improved.