CYP Now - Children and Families Act: Fostering-for-adoption reform criticised

A change to the law that encourages foster carers to go on to adopt has been criticised on the grounds that it could mean children are placed with families without birth parents receiving legal advice.

Making adoption more attractive is one of the key themes of the Children and Families Act. Other provisions include:

But Cathy Ashley, chief executive of the Family Rights Group, said she is “very concerned” about elements of the act designed to promote more children to be placed temporarily with foster carers who are also approved as adopters, known as fostering for adoption.

She said: “A child could be placed with a potential adopter without the parent having received legal advice, and without a judge or court getting advice whether they should be removed from their parents.

“There are not the checks and balances there should be.”

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