A research review recommended that adoption research needed to be considered as part of general research into placement choices for looked after children. Larger-scale, more scientifically complex, more elaborate and therefore more expensive studies needed to be commissioned to gain a lifelong perspective on adoption, to answer questions about predictors of outcome, the consequences of contact arrangements for all the parties, and the cost-effectiveness of adoption support interventions. Many smaller-scale studies needed to be commissioned to monitor the progress of the various policy and legislative initiatives related to the push for adoption.
Source: Alan Rushton, The Adoption of Looked After Children: A scoping review of research, Social Care Institute for Excellence/Department of Health (020 7089 6840)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Community Care article
Date: 2003-Dec
The government began consultation on regulations implementing the Adoption and Children Act 2002. It said that prospective parents would be given better information about the children they wanted to adopt; prospective adopters would get more consistent preparation, support and training from their adoption agency; and children would be asked for their views, and their wishes would be taken into account. (The Adoption and Children Act 2002 replaced the 1976 Adoption Act and reformed the legal framework for domestic and inter-country adoption.)
Source: Consultation on Adoption Agency Regulations and Adopter Assessment Regulations, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Links to draft regulations (pdf) | DfES press release | Community Care report
Date: 2003-Nov
The Scottish Executive published a discussion paper on possible reform to fostering and adoption law.
Source: Alexandra Plumtree, Choices for Children in Fostering and Adoption: Discussion paper on legal issues, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2003-Sep
There were 5,459 adoptions in England and Wales in 2002, an increase of 1.4 per cent on the number in 2001, but 27 per cent fewer than the 1992 total of 7,466.
Source: Marriage, Divorce and Adoption Statistics: Review of the Registrar General on marriages, divorces and adoptions in England and Wales, 2001, Series FM2 29, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
Just 5 per cent of the children put forward for possible adoption by the national adoption register had been successfully adopted, the first annual report on the register revealed. The report covered an eight month setting-up period from August 2001 to March 2002, followed by the register s first 12 months of full operation from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003.
Source: Annual Report, Adoption Register for England and Wales (020 8800 3332)
Links: Report (pdf) | Community Care article
Date: 2003-May
National minimum standards were published for voluntary adoption agencies in England and Wales, and for local authority adoption services in England.
Source: Adoption: Regulations and National Minimum Standards, Department of Health (08701 555455) and Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Standards (pdf)
Date: 2003-Mar
A report said that the time young children spend in foster care before a permanent placement is agreed can be halved using the 'concurrent planning' approach (under which two simultaneous permanent arrangements are pursued, so that if one fails the other can replace it).
Source: Elizabeth Monck, Jill Reynolds and Valerie Wigfall, The Role of Concurrent Planning: Making permanent placements for young children, BAAF Adoption and Fostering (020 7593 2000)
Links: Summary | Institute of Education press release
Date: 2003-Feb
Following consultation, the government announced that implementation of the first phase of new adoption support provisions would be postponed from April 2003 to October 2003.
Source: Statement 24.2.03, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Text of statement
Date: 2003-Feb