The national adoption register is to extend its services, the British Association of Adoption & Fostering has revealed.

In July 2004 the association won the contract to operate the registerfrom Norwood, a specialist Jewish adoption agency, which made fewer than100 placements between 2001 and 2004.

Agencies and approved prospective adopters will soon be able to accesstheir records on the register via a secure web site to check foraccuracy and update information.

The association also plans to hold its own events to match potentialadopters with children on the register. It has already become moreinvolved in regional events that do this. These events focus on placingchildren who have been on the register for a while.

Andy Stott, manager of the adoption register, said: "We're trying tomake our services as useful and appropriate for people as possible andwe want to increase the numbers of children we find links for."