Decline in adoptions continues

Statistics released by the Adoption Leadership Board show that in the first three months of 2016/17 (April to June) a total of 1,060 children were adopted.

This compares with 1,210 children being adopted in the same period of 2015/16, a year-on-year drop of 12.4 per cent.

The total number of adoptions in 2015/16 of 4,690 itself represented a fall of 12 per cent on the 5,360 recorded in 2014/15.

The trend is a consequence of a significant fall in the number of adoption placement orders being made, which itself is widely accepted to stem from a ruling made in September 2013 by Sir James Munby in the case Re B-S, in which he said that local authorities must provide evidence that all alternatives to adoption had been considered before bringing a case to court.

It is believed that, as a result of this, local authorities have been less willing to apply for adoption placement orders.

The number of placement orders being made are still yet to recover to the levels seen prior to September 2013 - a total of 1,550 orders were made between July and September 2013.

The statistics published by the Adoption Leadership Board show that between April and June 2016, 890 placement orders were made, up slightly on the 850 made between January and March 2016, but still down on the 1,070 made between October and December 2015. 

The government is currently trying to legislate for councils and courts to favour adoption over other forms of care for vulnerable children through the Children and Social Work Bill.

However, Labour has criticised the government for being obsessed with adoption over other forms of care.