Whilst for some children adoption is a positive outcome there are many concerns about it’s use:
- The number of adoptions has increased rapidly without reducing numbers in care
- Adoptions are frequently used without parental consent
- Many more children are deprived of parental care because:
– Numbers looked after are rising rapidly alongside increases in adoption
– In England where adoption rises the number of children in care rises and numbers in care falls in local authorities where adoption falls - The number of adopted children1 is increasing rapidly and will increase for many years even if the numbers adopted each year stay at the current level. In England the number of children placed for adoption and in special guardianship is now higher than the number of children in care
1 This is the number of children who are placed with adopters on a particular date. Government publishes the number of looked after children adopted each year but since adoption is a long term option the stock includes children adopted in previous years who are not yet 18 years old.