Adoption: A vision for change?

On 27th March 2016 – Easter Sunday – the Department of Education released its policy paper setting out its vision for improving adoption rates. Broadly it sets out progress regarding adoption since 2010 current challenges and how they will be met and the government’s vision for the adoption system by 2020.

There are five chapters:

• Chapter 1 Progress to date
• Chapter 2 New and enduring challenges
• Chapter 3 Creating the foundations for sustainable success
• Chapter 4 Excellent practice everywhere
• Chapter 5 Sharpening accountability to ensure delivery

In order to ‘achieve our vision’ the government will:

• Act to address unexpected falls in adoption decisions
• Deliver radical whole system redesign by regionalising adoption services
• Invest in developing the workforce
• Reduce the time children wait to be adopted
• Provide more high quality adoption support
• Further embed strong performance management and accountability arrangements

No one could sensibly argue against much of what is said in this policy paper. Every child does indeed deserve a loving stable family and for those children who cannot live with their birth parents it is vital to find them permanent new homes as quickly as possible. Adoption is clearly an important option for those children who cannot live with...

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