Research has revealed that children above the age of four are overlooked for adoption in favour of babies and toddlers.
The new research comes from Barnardo’s Scotland and found that babies and toddlers were far more likely to be adopted than older children. The stats were published in their report titled Too Old at Four?
A new adoption service is being created in the hope of improving links between children and foster families. Following the closure of the British Association for Adoption (BAAF) and Fostering, Children's Minister Aileen Campbell announced that The Adoption and Fostering Alliance Scotland (AFAS) will be stepping in to cover services.
The AFAS will handle the training, consultancy and a helpline for the public and professionals, as well as be responsible for the smooth transition from BAAF Scotland. The changes to the Scottish adoption operation comes following St Andrew's Children's Society being appointed to run Scotland's Adoption Register in July and a £75,000 investment in adoption services in Scotland.
A major adoption and fostering charity in the UK has closed down with immediate effect after citing that it suffered as a result of“significant changes and economic conditions” which made it impossible for them to keep operating.
The British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF), had been aiding vulnerable children for more than 30 years, but closed at the start of August and is now being run by administrators.
The Centre for Research on Children and Families has completed and 18 year study which followed up 65 children placed for adoption under the age of 4. This study has found that for the vast majority, adoption has worked well in providing a loving and supportive family base.
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More than 96,000 people interested in giving a vulnerable child a stable, loving home in England and Wales have contacted First4Adoption in just 12 months, according to recent Government figures.
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Scotland’s national Adoption Register has proved to be instrumental in helping almost 100 children find loving families, says the Scottish Government.
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The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has welcomed a recent High Court ruling that declared it was unlawful to prevent unmarried couples from adopting in Northern Ireland.
Adopted children and their families are being sold short when it comes to the provision of support services that could help ensure the success of more adoptions from care, according to a report published by national charity Adoption UK.
A new independent report has criticised the 'hopelessly slow' current adoption system. The report, by former Barnardo's CEO Martin Narey, and commissioned by The Times, makes many recommendations for reform.
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, has released an Issue Paper on the human rights perspective of adoption of children, calling for member states to ensure a better protection of children in the adoption process. According to the Commissioner, the realities of adoption still vary widely among European countries, in spite of international agreements, giving raise to serious human rights concerns.
