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Scottish adoption agency retains status after unanimous appeal ruling


St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society has been successful in its appeal to keep its charitable status.

In a unanimous ruling, the Scottish Charity Appeal Panel has decided in favour of the adoption agency, and overturned a ruling by OSCR (the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator), that St Margaret’s must lose its charitable status.

A spokesman for St Margaret’s said: “We are delighted and relieved that the threat hanging over us has been lifted. Our only wish is to continue to do the good work for which we have been recognised by the authorities, of placing children in need of families with loving parents.”

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, President of St Margaret’s, said: “We are grateful for this wise decision. It means that families who are ready to adopt can look forward to the future with a little more serenity, and children in great need can be placed into loving homes. St Margaret’s is a small agency which does great work for the wider community and helps transform the lives of some of the most vulnerable children in society. It would have been have been a great pity if it had been forced to close.”

Last year St Margaret’s approved 13 adoptive applications and arranged placements for 22 children (slightly more than 10 per cent of the Scottish total).

OSCR had claimed that St Margaret’s was not providing “public benefit” and therefore must be removed from the Charities Register. The decision from the Appeal Panel allows the charity to continue to operate.

At its most recent awards ceremony, the British Association for Adoption & Fostering named St Margaret’s among the top three in its category in the UK

In the most recently published Care Inspectorate Inspection Report, St Margaret’s receives very positive feedback on the services it provides: "St Margaret's child and family care society is a well managed professional service. The experienced, knowledgeable and committed staff team provide a high standard of service. They respond to the individual needs of people very effectively using their knowledge of current research and best practice guidance.

“The agency provides high quality care and support to families at all stages in the process. Families tell us the accessibility of post adoption support and training is particularly valuable". (Care Inspectorate: Care Service Inspection Report, August 3, 2012)

For more information see: www.stmargaretsadoption.org.uk/

Source: Archdiocese of Glasgow

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