ogramme about parenting children with special needs when added to the standard service. Adoption and the interagency fee This study explored the costs for local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies of recruiting and preparing prospective adopters, and placing children in adoptive families. It also looked at the costs of providing adoption support and the overheads for adoption agencies. 14 Chapter 1: Adoption agency arrangements This part of the guidance explains the duties of adoption agencies for operating its adoption panels and other procedural requirements. Agency policies and procedures 1.1. The adoption agency is required by regulation 7 of the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 (AAR) to prepare and implement a written policy and procedural instructions which govern the agency’s and the adoption panel’s functions. It is important that these accurately reflect the agency’s statement of purpose. In preparing these instructions, the agency is to consult individuals on the central list and, in respect of arrangements for access to, and disclosure of, health information, the agency’s medical adviser as required by AAR 8.4. The agency may choose the individuals on the central list it wishes to consult. The agency is also required to keep its policies and procedures under review and to revise them, where appropriate. 1.2. The agency should provide its staff with opportunities to contribute to the drafting of its written policy and procedures. It should ensure that its staff and the adoption panel are provided with the policy and procedures documents that govern their responsibilities. 1.3. It is recommended that the policy and procedures document include:  details of recruitment, induction, training and performance review of those individuals on the central list