Timpson unveils further reforms to speed up adoption
Laura McCardle
Friday, February 28, 2014
The government has continued its reform of the adoption system by publishing a series of draft regulation changes designed to remove restrictions and speed up adoption decision making.
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.
Nushra Mansuri, professional officer at The British Association of Social Workers, said: “A good adoption service is about getting things right for children and this sometimes may mean taking a little more time to ensure that practice is thorough and robust.
“The government also has to ensure there is enough capacity in the system to meet the additional demands being made of it.”
A consultation on the new guidance has been launched and will close on 11 April.
