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09/03/2012
Adoption Process To Be Sped Up
The prime minister is set to unveil proposals to speed up the adoption and tackle the "absurd barriers to mixed-race adoption".
"Young lives are being wasted while the process takes its toll", David Cameron said.
The announcements come ahead of the government’s launch of the “Adoption Action Plan” next week.
The government says that white British children are three times more likely to be adopted than children of an ethnic background. In a speech Cameron is expected to say, "Every child deserves the love of a stable family - and that's why I've made sorting out and speeding up adoption in this country a priority.
"Of course adoption isn't right in every case - and many looked-after children in care do eventually return to their biological parents.
"But it is shocking that black children take twice as long as white children to be adopted. We will tackle the absurd barriers to mixed-race adoption which trap many non-white children in care."
Three changes to speed up the system will be announced:
* Local authorities will be required to reduce delays and not delay adoptions "for the perfect match"
* Legal changes to make it easier for children to be fostered by people approved for adoption so that a child might be fostered by someone who goes on to adopt them
* If an adoptive match is not found locally in three months, local authorities will have to put the child on the national adoption register
Martin Narey, the government’s adviser on adoption, said that because of the search for an ethnic match black children wait "scandalous periods of time" before being adopted.
David Holmes, from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, said that while the process did need to be made quicker, adoption had to be right for the children.
"These are decisions that will reverberate for the rest of the child's life. And we need to make sure that when we find families for children, they're families that are going to last. But no single issue - ethnicity, anything else - should stop a match which would otherwise meet the child's assessed needs."
(H/GK)
"Young lives are being wasted while the process takes its toll", David Cameron said.
The announcements come ahead of the government’s launch of the “Adoption Action Plan” next week.
The government says that white British children are three times more likely to be adopted than children of an ethnic background. In a speech Cameron is expected to say, "Every child deserves the love of a stable family - and that's why I've made sorting out and speeding up adoption in this country a priority.
"Of course adoption isn't right in every case - and many looked-after children in care do eventually return to their biological parents.
"But it is shocking that black children take twice as long as white children to be adopted. We will tackle the absurd barriers to mixed-race adoption which trap many non-white children in care."
Three changes to speed up the system will be announced:
* Local authorities will be required to reduce delays and not delay adoptions "for the perfect match"
* Legal changes to make it easier for children to be fostered by people approved for adoption so that a child might be fostered by someone who goes on to adopt them
* If an adoptive match is not found locally in three months, local authorities will have to put the child on the national adoption register
Martin Narey, the government’s adviser on adoption, said that because of the search for an ethnic match black children wait "scandalous periods of time" before being adopted.
David Holmes, from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, said that while the process did need to be made quicker, adoption had to be right for the children.
"These are decisions that will reverberate for the rest of the child's life. And we need to make sure that when we find families for children, they're families that are going to last. But no single issue - ethnicity, anything else - should stop a match which would otherwise meet the child's assessed needs."
(H/GK)
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26 September 2013
Govt Statistics Show 15% Increase In Adoption
The government's latest statistics on adoption show a 15% increase compared with the year before, a record rise according to ministers. The figures show that 3,980 children were adopted between April 2012 and March 2013, up from 3,470 for the same period the previous year.
Govt Statistics Show 15% Increase In Adoption
The government's latest statistics on adoption show a 15% increase compared with the year before, a record rise according to ministers. The figures show that 3,980 children were adopted between April 2012 and March 2013, up from 3,470 for the same period the previous year.
06 July 2012
Radical Plans Unveiled To Speed Up Adoption Process
The Prime Minister is to announce plans to radically speed up the adoption process. Within the new plans possible future permanent families will foster children before lengthy legal procedures are finalised.
Radical Plans Unveiled To Speed Up Adoption Process
The Prime Minister is to announce plans to radically speed up the adoption process. Within the new plans possible future permanent families will foster children before lengthy legal procedures are finalised.
25 January 2007
Government fights Catholic adoption opt-out lobby
The government is taking a firm stance on the exemption being sought by Roman Catholic adoption agencies in regards to the anti-gay discrimination laws. The agencies have threatened closure if they do not win over the right not to place children with gay couples.
Government fights Catholic adoption opt-out lobby
The government is taking a firm stance on the exemption being sought by Roman Catholic adoption agencies in regards to the anti-gay discrimination laws. The agencies have threatened closure if they do not win over the right not to place children with gay couples.
17 October 2006
Madonna baby flown into UK
The Malawian baby that popstar Madonna is looking to adopt has arrived in Britain. David Banda, who is 13-months-old, is understood to have flown to the UK with a bodyguard and a nanny on a private jet, which landed at Heathrow airport on Tuesday morning. The child is reported to have been taken to the US star's home in London.
Madonna baby flown into UK
The Malawian baby that popstar Madonna is looking to adopt has arrived in Britain. David Banda, who is 13-months-old, is understood to have flown to the UK with a bodyguard and a nanny on a private jet, which landed at Heathrow airport on Tuesday morning. The child is reported to have been taken to the US star's home in London.
12 April 2006
Couple win appeal over salt death
A couple who were convicted of poisoning their foster son with salt have won an appeal. Ian Gay, 39 and his wife Angela, 40, will face a retrial after winning the appeal against their conviction for the manslaughter of three-year-old Christian Blewitt.
Couple win appeal over salt death
A couple who were convicted of poisoning their foster son with salt have won an appeal. Ian Gay, 39 and his wife Angela, 40, will face a retrial after winning the appeal against their conviction for the manslaughter of three-year-old Christian Blewitt.
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