Timpson unveils further reforms to speed up adoption

In an effort to place looked-after children in stable homes earlier, local authorities will be required to consider placing children assessed as being eligible for adoption with foster carers who have been approved as prospective adopters, and who could go on to adopt them if appropriate.

The government has also removed restrictions that will now allow prospective adopters to search the Adoption Register database and play a much more active role in identifying suitable children. The Department for Education will pilot this later in the year.

In addition, a requirement on adoption agencies to consider a child’s ethnicity as a priority when seeking potential adopters has been removed in an attempt to reduce delays in placing children of ethnic minority heritage.

There will be less emphasis put on placing children from the same family together, with councils expected to make decisions based on the individual needs of each child in a sibling group.

Announcing the plans, children's minister Edward Timpson said: “Our reforms to the Adoption Register, greater use of fostering for adoption and the removal of often unnecessary delay will mean would-be adopters can play a much greater role in the process and will ensure children who need them are given stable, loving homes with their new families much more quickly.

“The revised adoption guidance will also make it much easier for social workers to follow the new processes when considering adoption for vulnerable children.

“It means they can make the best possible decisions in the interests of the 6,000 children waiting for a loving home.”

The plans, put forward as part of the Children and Families Bill, follow a number of reforms to the adoption system implemented last year.

They include a duty on local authorities to ensure that information on children waiting to be adopted is kept up to date, and the introduction of a two-stage approval process that sees the majority of adopters approved to adopt within six months.