Adoption system failing to support families, according to report

27 Jun 2012

Adopted children and their families are being sold short when it comes to the provision of support services that could help ensure the success of more adoptions from care, according to a report published by national charity Adoption UK.

The report, entitled It takes a village to raise a child, is based on an Adoption UK survey of its membership. In the survey, respondents highlight the need for improved support across the system – from preparation to post-placement. Improving support services is also likely to encourage more people to consider adopting from care in the future – especially important at a time when the number of adopters is at an all-time low and current government work is focused on recruiting more adopters and placing more children from care.

National membership and support charity Adoption UK, has been supporting adoptive families before, during and after adoption for more than 40 years. It is the only national charity run by adoptive parents for adoptive families.

A total of 455 respondents, representing more than 700 children, from across the UK completed the online survey between October 2011 and January 2012.

Results indicated that at any one time, around half of adoptive families are in need of some sort of adoption support service but that accessing support services is difficult for many adopters. Many felt their agency did not provide the services that would most help their family and also believed that the lack of understanding among professionals – from social workers to school staff - around the needs of adopted children was a significant problem. Finance is also an issue with many families having to fund their own support services because local authorities are underfunded.

Around 4,000 children were adopted from the UK system in the year ending March 31, 2011; more than 70 per cent were removed from their birth families due to abuse or neglect. Their early childhood experiences mean that adopted children may have challenging emotional, behavioural, or physical challenges.

The report is published at a time when the Government is focussed on improving the recruitment and assessment process for adoptive parents. An Adoption Action Plan was published in March outlining the Department of Education’s plans to improve the system. The Plan indicates proposals, in principle, to improve the adoption support system.

An expert working group, which includes Adoption UK Chief Executive Jonathan Pearce, has been assisting the Department of Education in its proposals and creation of the action plan. Adoption UK warns, however, that the planned improvements must go hand-in-hand with improvements to adoption support.

Jonathan Pearce, Adoption UK Chief Executive, said: “What adopters are saying they need is a process and system that better equips them for the joys and challenges of adoptive parenting.

“They need continuing education and training on child development and how this is affected by the trauma of abuse and neglect, attachment issues and how to be therapeutic parents to abused and neglected children.

“They also need joined-up, adoption-aware services across not just the social care sector, but also in education and mental health. When considering that they are taking on some of the most vulnerable children in our society, it seems senseless that they are not automatically supported.”

The full report can be found at www.adoptionuk.org.uk/ittakesavillage

ends

For further information:

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

Out-of-Office Hours: 07500 968475

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.

National Offices:

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Tel: 0131 555 5350

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