About time adoption laws were reviewed and given a shake up

Adoption Law Review

It is about time that adoption laws got a review and the Government took the delays in the system seriously.  The Government has now promised new laws to reduce the chronic delays endured by children waiting for adoption.

They will set out plans for a national register to match children with families who want to adopt, no matter how far apart they live.  At present, distance can be a huge hurdle to adoption.

There will also be moves to force councils to approve prospective adopters more quickly – perhaps in as little as three months.

Additionally it will become law that race, cultural background or language must not be a ‘significant or decisive factor’ in placing children with adoptive parents.

This will stop social workers leaving children in care because they cannot find a perfect ethnic match for them, even though other families could offer them a loving home.

In another change, prospective adoptive parents will be able to look after the child they have been matched with under a fostering arrangement before the court has made its final decision on whether adoption can go ahead.

A Bill will be tabled in the next session of Parliament and David Cameron has said speeding up adoption is ‘a priority’ for the Government.

This has got to be a good thing as waits of over two and a half years to get children out of care and adopted is too long. Consequently this is having a huge impact on the welfare of these children and society.

For further resources, this site provides some useful information:
Adoption.org.uk / adoption law