ld. This is covered in detail in chapter 2;  placing a child with a prospective adopter who can meet most or all of the child’s identified needs. Any practice that has the effect of stopping a child from being adopted primarily because the child and prospective adopter do not share the same racial or cultural background is not child-centred and is unacceptable;  providing an effective adoption support service;  effective collaboration with the local authority’s other social services and with voluntary adoption agencies so that services may be given in a co-ordinated manner. This avoids delay and duplication;  developing and sustaining constructive links between adoption and looked after children’s teams and the courts in order to minimise delays in court proceedings;  a practical and balanced understanding of the circumstances in which special guardianship may be more appropriate than adoption and how to manage the different processes and legal requirements. The Legislative Framework The Adoption and Children Act 2002 (the Act) is the principal piece of legislation governing adoption in England and Wales. It has been in force since 30 December 2005, 9 and has been amended by other legislation since 2002. While the Children Act 1989 sets the general framework for the support of children in need and planning for their future if they become looked after, the Act provides the framework for implementing plans for adoption. Much of the detail of the adoption system is set out in regulations; a list is on the National Archives Legislation website and the Department for Education website. Needs and welfare of the child Section 1 of the Act places the needs and welfare of the child at the centre of the adoption process. It makes the welfare of the child the paramount consid