Government to change adoption law to address fall in court orders
The Government is to change the law to make prioritising lifelong stability for vulnerable children with a loving family a legal requirement, the Department for Education has said.
The move is in direct response to the almost 50% reduction in the number of decisions for adoption made by courts and councils over the last two years.
The DfE said: “This follows concerns that life-long stability and high-quality care that adoptive families can bring is not always given sufficient weight by councils and courts when they make decisions about where children should live – sometimes focusing on just who can support the child in the short term.
“For the first time ever, the law will explicitly state that councils and courts must prioritise the quality of reparative care the child will need in order to recover from episodes of devastating abuse and neglect, and whether the placement will last through the child’s adolescence.”
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said: “Every single day a child spends waiting in care is a further delay to a life full of love and stability – and this simply isn’t good enough. We have a responsibility to transform the lives of our most vulnerable children, making sure they get the opportunities they deserve.
“That’s why we are changing the law on adoption to make sure decisions rightly prioritise children’s long-term stability and happiness, so that children are placed with their new family as quickly as possible, helping them fulfil their potential and get the very best start in life.”
Children and Families Minister, Edward Timpson, added: “Where adoption is in the best interests of the child, we must make sure they are matched quickly with carers who are right for them – those who can provide love and care for a vulnerable young person until their 18th birthday and into adulthood.”
The Government has promised funding worth £200m over the life of this Parliament to speed up the adoptions of harder-to-place children, support the creation of new regional adoption agencies, strengthen voluntary adoption agencies and ensure social workers have the right knowledge and skills to make robust decisions.
The Government’s Adoption Support Fund will also be extended for the next four years.
