EIGHTEEN children were placed for adoption in Herefordshire during the last financial year.

The annual adoption report to Herefordshire Council's cabinet, also said that 24 placement orders were granted, which allows the council to look for suitable adoptive family.

Three very small babies were placed in foster-to-adopt placements, which means the child does not have to move if adoption is approved.

Gill Cox, head of looked after children, said they have a stable and experienced workforce which has meant good results.

But she said that the service will aim to improve timeliness between becoming looked after and being placed in adoptive families.

The three year average is that 56 percent of looked after children in the county wait less than 16 months between becoming looked after and moving in with their adoptive family, compared to the England average of 55 percent.

Cllr Terry James said: "There is nothing more important with what this council does than this particular service. It affects the lives of an individual more than anything else this council does."

The annual fostering report also showed that the council has increased its number of foster carers by 15 percent, which is in dramatic contrast to the national

rate with other local authorities generally varying between -1 percent to 1 percent growth.

Overall the council now has 144 households compared with last year’s total of 131.

Cllr Jonathan Lester, cabinet member for young people and children's wellbeing, said: "The fact we are bucking the trend and recruiting more foster carers is excellent."

Councillors praised the progress the fostering service had made.

Leader Tony Johnson said: "So often, because of difficult general circumstances, we are often debating difficult, sometimes controversial decisions we have to make.

"This is a rare and very welcome change."