According to the Department for Education, the number of approved adopters rose by 23 per cent in the three months to March this year, compared to the same period in 2020.
The jump in the number of approvals has coincided with a fall in the number of children waiting for adoption, down by around 240 over the same timeframe.
The figures have been released during National Adoption Week and amid a national adopter recruitment campaign #Youcanadopt.
According to the DfE, there are still 2,000 children waiting for adoption, but recruitment service for adopters, First4Adoption, puts this figure at almost 3,000.
Adopters are welcome whether they are single, married or in a long-term live-in relationship. If you've been considering adoption but weren't sure if you were eligible, speak to your local adoption agency today: https://t.co/Yx1c1uyYBb#NationalAdoptionWeek #YouCanAdopt pic.twitter.com/hV34Mc5nqN
— YOU CAN ADOPT (@Youcanadopt) October 19, 2021
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi is particularly keen for families from black and ethnic minority backgrounds to come forward to be potential adopters.
“This National Adoption Week, I want to encourage anyone who has ever considered adoption – particularly if they are from a black or ethnic minority background - to step forward and begin their journey to be prospective parents," said Zahawi.
“Every child, no matter their ethnicity or background, has the right to be able to grow up in a safe, secure and loving family home.”
A Black Adopters campaign has been launched through the national recruitment drive.
Earlier this year its focus was on finding families for siblings, after it emerged that almost half (44 per cent) of children awaiting adoption are brothers and sisters in groups of two or more. The majority (58 per cent) of these children wait more than 18 months to be placed.
Among councils that have successfully increased the number of adopters over the last year is Wakefield, which has recruited families from among local foster carers. Wakefield now has the highest conversion rate of foster carers becoming adopters in the West Yorkshire region.
