Basic information about adoption
Adoption provides the legal basis for the assumption of parental responsibilities in respect of a particular child by someone, or in the case of a couple by them both, who are not their natural parent. In London there are hundreds of children adopted each year.
Both we and central government want to see the number of 'looked after' children being adopted increase. In 2002/2003 there were 3,500 children adopted from care in England. In recent years the number of children adopted from care has risen, but only very slowly. There are many more children, where adoption is the preferred option, and who would benefit from being placed with new families. Many of these children are four years and older, and many are part of sibling groups.
Nowadays, adoption is used to provide permanent families for children of all ages, from infants to teenagers.
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Number of children adopted as a % of all children being looked after. Source DOH. |
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Age of children adopted as a % of all children being looked after who were adopted. Source DOH. |
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Young Children
As the above indicates only a very small number of children adopted each year are under the age of twelve months. One of the reasons for this is that we often have to make applications to courts before placing a child for adoption and this can often take time.
Older Children
There is a view that children over a certain age find it more difficult to accept their adoption or will not fit in with their adoptive family so easily. In some cases this may be true but so much depends upon the child, the adoption agency workers, and the adoptive family that this is being disproved time and time again. Children who are old enough to know about, and who want to be adopted can be placed with families with great success so don't discount the option of adopting an older child. They need a family just as much as an infant does.
If you want to find out more general information about adoption visit The Adoption & Fostering Information Line web site.
