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| Mixed-race adoption policy gets new guidelines | Mixed-race adoption policy gets new guidelines |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| White couples should be allowed to adopt black and ethnic minority children under new guidelines for social workers in England. | White couples should be allowed to adopt black and ethnic minority children under new guidelines for social workers in England. |
| Local authorities will be warned not to delay placing a child with a suitable family of a different ethnicity. | Local authorities will be warned not to delay placing a child with a suitable family of a different ethnicity. |
| Many children from ethnic minorities do not get adopted because social workers have been keen to place them with families of the same background. | Many children from ethnic minorities do not get adopted because social workers have been keen to place them with families of the same background. |
| The move will be confirmed by Education Secretary Michael Gove on Tuesday. | The move will be confirmed by Education Secretary Michael Gove on Tuesday. |
| Actions monitored | Actions monitored |
| The law will not change but the new guidance will state that as long as prospective adopters show that they are able to care for the child then race should not be a factor. | The law will not change but the new guidance will state that as long as prospective adopters show that they are able to care for the child then race should not be a factor. |
| They will also say that preventing families from adopting children of a different ethnic group is "unacceptable". | They will also say that preventing families from adopting children of a different ethnic group is "unacceptable". |
| Each local authority will be closely monitored and those that persistently ignore the advice could have their adoption services contracted out to voluntary agencies. | Each local authority will be closely monitored and those that persistently ignore the advice could have their adoption services contracted out to voluntary agencies. |
| Current advice states that social workers must give "due consideration to the child's religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background", but does not specify whether race should be regarded as outweighing other factors. | Current advice states that social workers must give "due consideration to the child's religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background", but does not specify whether race should be regarded as outweighing other factors. |
| Children's minister Tim Loughton announced in November last year that the government would be updating its guidance on adoption. | Children's minister Tim Loughton announced in November last year that the government would be updating its guidance on adoption. |
| Currently, single people, married couples and cohabiting couples can all adopt. | Currently, single people, married couples and cohabiting couples can all adopt. |
| Same sex couples can adopt in England, Wales and Scotland, but not in Northern Ireland. | Same sex couples can adopt in England, Wales and Scotland, but not in Northern Ireland. |
| Adopters in England and Wales must be aged over 21 (18 if one of a couple is the birth parent). There is no upper age limit, but the placing authority must be confident anyone adopting a child will have the energy required and be in good enough health to offer a stable home. | Adopters in England and Wales must be aged over 21 (18 if one of a couple is the birth parent). There is no upper age limit, but the placing authority must be confident anyone adopting a child will have the energy required and be in good enough health to offer a stable home. |
| Likewise, if they can prove they have the energy, people will not be disqualified for being disabled, overweight or having a medical condition. | Likewise, if they can prove they have the energy, people will not be disqualified for being disabled, overweight or having a medical condition. |
| People must also show that the can financially support a child. | People must also show that the can financially support a child. |
| A criminal record will not automatically prevent someone from adopting unless they, or someone in their household, has been convicted or cautioned for offences against a child. | A criminal record will not automatically prevent someone from adopting unless they, or someone in their household, has been convicted or cautioned for offences against a child. |
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| How the hell can any young child have a "religious persuasion"? | How the hell can any young child have a "religious persuasion"? |
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| To experience how poor the system has been, you need to have been a foster parent or adopter.Social Services policy has been stupidly dogmatic.There are some people who will foster or adopt children who are hard to place - the current system is made to dissuade them from pursuing that path. Having experienced the current system, I can tell you that the new guidelines are common sense . | To experience how poor the system has been, you need to have been a foster parent or adopter.Social Services policy has been stupidly dogmatic.There are some people who will foster or adopt children who are hard to place - the current system is made to dissuade them from pursuing that path. Having experienced the current system, I can tell you that the new guidelines are common sense . |
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| As a retired social worker and an adoptive mother of two mixed-race babies (now 30+), the problem has not been with a lack of willing white adopters, but with adoption agencies reluctance for 30 years to consider white adopters for ethnic minority children. Agencies adopted Children's Act guidance to give "due consideration to racial origin" so that racial matching became the main consideration. | As a retired social worker and an adoptive mother of two mixed-race babies (now 30+), the problem has not been with a lack of willing white adopters, but with adoption agencies reluctance for 30 years to consider white adopters for ethnic minority children. Agencies adopted Children's Act guidance to give "due consideration to racial origin" so that racial matching became the main consideration. |
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