A recent government direction for local authorities to prioritise adoption has reignited the debate over whether there is – or should be – a hierarchy of permanency options for children in care.
A letter from children and families minister Michelle Donelan to directors of children’s services (DCS) states that adoption will be a priority for the new government and that it wishes to see a “renewed focus” on adoption by councils.
The move follows the publication of latest Department for Education figures showing that annual adoptions fell by a third between 2015 and 2019.
In the letter, Donelan states that a key factor in the fall is that there are more children waiting for adoption than there are approved adopters. However, she suggests that the shortage of adopters may be linked to adoption agencies applying the law inappropriately.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
