A significant number of children in care are losing out because of long systematic delays in approving adoptive parents, according to an Adoption UK survey.
The survey, which looks at the process of recruiting, assessing and preparing adoptive parents, found that while many of those interested in adopting receive a good or reasonable response from adoption agencies, up to one-third have their interest received with scant regard for the interests of children.
The Adoption and Children Act 2002, which came into force at the very end of 2005, sets out timescales to which agencies should adhere during the preparation, assessment and approval of adoptive parents. However, the survey reveals systematic delays in the process for many prospective parents.
Delays in finding adoptive parents add to the harm that many children in care will already have experienced, leading to more involved and costly adoption support services. If the responses to the charity’s survey represent national practice, then adoptive families and approximately 1,000 children in care are losing out each year.
