Responding to a speech by Education Secretary on the
adoption system, Cllr , Chair of the
Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board,
said:
“Councils are committed to finding loving homes for all children
who need them, including encouraging people of all backgrounds
and circumstances to come forward to adopt if they are able to
provide loving, stable homes. Progress has been made in recent
years, with delays cut significantly and the Adoption Support
Fund providing invaluable support to families, including
preventing adoption breakdowns.
“In the face of significant funding reductions, large increases
in the number of children needing help and working through
government-mandated reorganisations of the adoption system,
councils and their voluntary sector partners have continued to do
all they can to ensure that children are safe and in loving
permanent homes.
“Finding the right match for a child is not simple, and councils
and their partners rightly take a holistic view of children in
their care to make sure they thrive in their forever home and do
not go through the trauma of an adoption breakdown. For many
children, placement with a family of the same ethnic background
is exceptionally important for cultural and identity reasons, and
this must not be overlooked.
“We must also remember that adoption is not right for every child
in care and for this reason we must continue to invest in the
full range of permanency options, including foster care and
children’s homes. We call on the Government to use the
forthcoming Spending Review to fully resource children’s social
care to ensure every child can be found a loving, stable home,
whatever their needs.”
