Adoption UK Statement on 2011 Adoption Figures

29 Sep 2011

Adoption UK statement on 2010/11 looked after children and adoption figures (as published on 28 September 2011).

Adoption UK’s Chief Executive, Jonathan Pearce, said:

“The decreases in both adoptions and placements during 2010/11 is of real concern, given what we know about the increasing numbers of children in care. In Adoption UK’s view and from its work, we believe the decrease in adoption levels is down to fewer adoptive parents being available for the higher numbers of children in care. Profile levels for our family-finding service Children Who Wait have remained consistently high over the past 18 months, so we know there are many children in care looking for, but not finding, families. We need to do more to increase the life chances of those children in care for whom adoption would make a life-changing difference.

“The fact that there a fewer adoptive parents available is down to two main issues: a reduced focus by local authorities on recruitment of adopters and also the impact of an economic recession which may make people think twice about adopting at a time of possible financial insecurity. We also know that, while the adoption process works for many would-be adopters, for many others there are significant barriers that they have to overcome. When added to the fact that there are many approved adopters waiting to adopt, there is a lot more than could be done to increase the number of adoptive placements.

Adoption UK believes any focus on recruiting adopters must go hand-in-hand with good support packages, including financial ones, both to encourage new adopters and ensure the long-term success of adoptive placements.”

http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/statistics-by-topic/childrenandfamilies/lookedafterchildren/a00196857/children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-engl

For further information:

Erika Pennington, Adoption UK – erika@adoptionuk.org.uk or 01295 752960.

Out-of-Office Hours: 07500 968475

Website: http://www.adoptionuk.org/

Notes for Editors:

Adoption UK

Adoption UK is a registered charity (number 326654) and adoption support agency, and was established in 1971.
Adoption UK is the only national charity run by and for adoptive parents. The charity’s aim is to provide and support a self-help network for adoptive parents to explore the unique social, emotional and developmental needs of adopted children and young people and their families. Through this network, Adoption UK also promotes effective learning practice, based on over 35 years’ experience of adoptive parenting, which is integrated with current theories of trauma, attachment and development.
Adoption UK supports parents before, during and after the adoption process
Members have experience of adopting in UK and abroad, from babies and toddlers to teenagers, with a wide range of medical, emotional, physical and learning difficulties.
Membership represents multicultural Britain.
The Online Community launched in November 2003 and won Charity Website of the Year 2004. Key features include message boards, letters, library of resources, database of real life experiences, special features and daily news. Over 80% of visitors are UK-based however the site has been embraced by people touched by adoption around the world.
Adoption UK offers a range of other services to adoptive families, including: a national telephone helpline; access to local support groups throughout the UK; contact networks; Adoption Today and Children Who Wait magazines, information leaflets and publications; training programmes and courses; and a lending library.
Adoption UK also lobbies and campaigns on behalf of the concerns of adoptive families.

Head Office: Linden House, 55 The Green, South Bar Street, Banbury, Oxon OX16 9AB

Tel: 01295 752240. Helpline: 0844 848 7900.

A downloadable version of this press release can also be found on the Current Press Releases page