gour. Our aim was to speed up the process for children and to overhaul the service for prospective adopters as well as strengthening local accountability for the timeliness of adoption services. We have also introduced a fast- track process for approved foster carers and previous adopters. The implementation of the regulations covering the two-stage adopter approvals and fast-track process and the publication of this guidance mark an important milestone in delivering the Action Plan. Re-structuring the approvals process is not the only thing we have done. The National Gateway for Adoption – operating as First4Adoption – was launched in April 2013 and provides a first point of contact for anyone interested in adoption. We have also put significant amounts of funding into the sector, both through the Adoption Reform Grant to local authorities and grants to the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies to pass directly to frontline adoption agencies. In a time of economic challenge and scarce funding, we all need to ensure we are getting the most out of available resources. We have also published an Adoption Passport for adopters that sets out in one place the help and support that is available to them. Adoptive parents have a wide range of rights from being able to choose the school that best suits the needs of their child, to priority 6 access to council housing, to adoption pay and leave that from 2015 will be equal to that offered to birth parents. In addition, from September 2014 adopters will be able to take advantage of free early education for their child from the age of two years old. The key challenge remains finding enough prospective adopters for those children still in care for whom adoption is the best outcome. Research published earlier this year suggests th