certain the wishes and feelings of the birth parent, guardian or any other person the agency considers relevant about contact with the child if the 124 agency is authorised to place the child for adoption or the child is adopted (AAR 14 and FER 37). 7.30. Counselling of the child’s parent or guardian should include the consequences of the adoption process for contact with the child and how this will change if the agency is given authority to place the child for adoption. The counselling should explain that the 1989 Act contact obligations would be replaced by the contact arrangements provided for by the AAR where the agency obtains authority to place the child. This can be difficult information for birth parents and guardians to accept. It is important that they are offered independent support (through their independent support worker) regarding this and other matters related to the adoption. Research16 has shown that birth relatives benefit from support but can be hard to reach, and that take up of services is low. It can help to offer a flexible range of services, available at different points in time and with multiple referral routes. The agency should also explain the right that the parent or guardian and others have to apply for a contact order under sections 26(2) and 26(3) of the Act. 7.31. The child’s permanence report must include:  the wishes and feelings of the child regarding contact with their parent or guardian or other relative or with any other person the agency considers relevant;  the wishes and feelings of the child’s parent or guardian, and of any other person the agency considers relevant, regarding contact with the child if the agency is authorised to place the child for adoption or the child is adopted; and  the agency’s views about the child’s