An investigation by More4 News showed that, of the 92 local authorities that replied to its survey, 57 children were returned to care in 2008/09 compared with 26 in 2004/05. The rise comes despite a drop in the number of children being adopted in this period.
Local authorities are not obliged to keep data on adoption breakdowns, meaning the vast majority of the 450 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales contacted were unable to provide these figures.
Andrew Christie, policy lead on fostering and adoption at the Association of Directors of Children's Services, said that while conclusions may be difficult to draw from the small number of responses, any failed adoptions may be a reflection of the damage caused to children kept in dysfunctional families for too long.
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
