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New law will force councils to merge services to improve adoption rates New law will force councils to merge services to improve adoption rates
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Councils will be forced to merge services in order to speed up adoption rates, according to plans to be set out in the Queen’s speech next week.Councils will be forced to merge services in order to speed up adoption rates, according to plans to be set out in the Queen’s speech next week.
Adoption is “happening at too small and localised a scale”, the Department for Education said, and mergers would slash waiting times by increasing the pool of potential adopters.Adoption is “happening at too small and localised a scale”, the Department for Education said, and mergers would slash waiting times by increasing the pool of potential adopters.
The proposed schools and adoption bill will contain new powers to force authorities to merge their local adoption services if they fail to do so themselves within two years.The proposed schools and adoption bill will contain new powers to force authorities to merge their local adoption services if they fail to do so themselves within two years.
One adoption charity, Adoption UK, has already praised the plans after they were revealed on Saturday morning. But it warned there was still a lot of work to do. Reactions to the plans, revealed on Saturday morning, have been mixed. Adoption UK praised them but warned there was still a lot of work to do. Official figures suggest more than 3,000 children are waiting to be matched with new parents, with more than half having spent 18 months in care.
Official figures suggest more than 3,000 children are waiting to be matched with new parents, with more than half having spent 18 months in care. But Tact, the UK’s largest adoption and fostering charity, said the focus on adoption risked missing out children whose interests were better served by alternative care arrangements.
Families minister Edward Timpson, who grew up with two adopted brothers, said: “Every single day a child spends waiting in care for their new family is a further delay to a life full of love and stability. This just isn’t good enough.Families minister Edward Timpson, who grew up with two adopted brothers, said: “Every single day a child spends waiting in care for their new family is a further delay to a life full of love and stability. This just isn’t good enough.
“By coming together and joining forces, councils can make sure more children are matched with families far quicker - regardless of where they live.” “By coming together and joining forces, councils can make sure more children are matched with families far quicker – regardless of where they live.”
The government said it would encourage town halls to set up their own mergers or outsource services to a single regional agency, while they would also be offered financial support to establish regional services.The government said it would encourage town halls to set up their own mergers or outsource services to a single regional agency, while they would also be offered financial support to establish regional services.
“At the moment, adoption is happening at too small and localised a scale,” a spokesman said. “At the moment, adoption is happening at too small and localised a scale,” a spokesman said. “With councils working together, the choice of potential matches for a child would increase significantly, giving children a far better chance of quickly finding a permanent family.”
“With councils working together, the choice of potential matches for a child would increase significantly, giving children a far better chance of quickly finding a permanent family.” The DfE said evidence had showed councils tend to concentrate their efforts locally, rather than looking further afield. It called plans for regional adoption agencies a “triple-win” that would also widen the availability of support services and improve recruitment of adopters.
The DfE said evidence had showed councils tend to concentrate their efforts locally, rather than looking further afield. It called plans for regional adoption agencies a “triple win” that would also widen the availability of support services and improve recruitment of adopters.
It expects councils to see the writing on the wall, adding that the new powers to force action would be used as a last resort.It expects councils to see the writing on the wall, adding that the new powers to force action would be used as a last resort.
Hugh Thornbery, CEO of Adoption UK, said he was pleased at the new plans. “I have long held the view that 180 agencies in England does not make sense when only 5,000 children a year are being placed,” he said.Hugh Thornbery, CEO of Adoption UK, said he was pleased at the new plans. “I have long held the view that 180 agencies in England does not make sense when only 5,000 children a year are being placed,” he said.
“The encouragement to local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies to work more closely together under regional arrangements makes sense as long as we see continuous improvements in matching children and supporting families when they need it.“The encouragement to local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies to work more closely together under regional arrangements makes sense as long as we see continuous improvements in matching children and supporting families when they need it.
“Adoption UK will be looking to see much stronger links between the recruitment of adopters, matching with children and the provision of support. I want to see initiatives that bring a holistic approach to that support as so many children adopted from care have multiple and complex needs.”“Adoption UK will be looking to see much stronger links between the recruitment of adopters, matching with children and the provision of support. I want to see initiatives that bring a holistic approach to that support as so many children adopted from care have multiple and complex needs.”
But Andy Elvin, a spokesman for Tact, warned that the scheme risked failing to account for the needs of thousands of children for whom adoption was not the best solution.
“There are 65,000-plus children in public care,” he said. “Adoption is a solution for about four or five thousand of them, so why this focus on adoption? We need to support all options equally because each of them is equally important for that particular child. We’d like to see an equal focus on all forms of care.
“No one’s going to say adoption is a terrible thing, because it’s not – it’s great. But so is long-term foster care, so is living with your grandparents, and so is permanent residential care, for some children. It all needs to be viewed as a piece, and this dividing things out is not helpful.”
Last year, according to the DfE more than 5,000 children were found a permanent home, representing a record increase of 26% over 12 months.Last year, according to the DfE more than 5,000 children were found a permanent home, representing a record increase of 26% over 12 months.