Three councils have been honoured for their adoption service provision it has been announced, after they were awarded the prestigious Beacon status.

Essex County Council, Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council and Medway Council in Kent were amongst 46 councils who received the award for the quality of their public services.

The Beacon Council Scheme was established in 1999 by the Government to act as pace stters and cenres of excellence for a variety of themes.

This year one of themes is adoption, and in order to gain the status the three councils showed excellence in their adoption service, good general performance and plans for effective dissemination.

Each council also gave their view to the Government on why they deserved the award, providing evidence of vision and strategy, actions and outcomes and user satisfaction.

Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford who made the awards said: "Gaining a Beacon award is not just a way of marking a council's achievements, it is also a recognition of the hard work of all the staff who are at the from line of delvering services.

"Becoming a Beacon is just the start - the new Beacon Councils will now help other councils learn from their experience.

"By sharing their best practice with others, Beacon Councils can hel praise the standards of public services across the country."

Linda Green, Gateshead Council's cabinet minister for children and young people said: "Gateshead Council hasa commitment to making the lives of children in the borough as safe, as happy, and as stable as possible.

"Every single employee in Gateshead Council's Adoption Service, together with our partners, has worked extremely hard to earn this prestigious national award - but as I am sure they are all aware, the hard work certainly doesn't stop here.

"We will be using our expertise in adoption to help other councils and organisations across the whole country to achieve similar successes - and that can only be good news for young people, both in and out of the borough."

In 2000 adoption orders were granted for 36 children in another of the winners Medway's region, representing 11.7 per cent of all those children who are looked after in Medway.

Leader of the council Councillor Rodney Chambers has written to staff in Medway's adoption service congratulating them.

He said: "Your commitment to children for their futures and for those people who want to adopt them has been recognised."

Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, added: "This is an outstanding accolade for our adoption service and is well earned.

"To be confirmed as one of just three councils gaining beacon status for adoption across the country this year is a magnificent achievement."