Shake-up To Modernise Adoption System

The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill has now been published, with the aim of overhauling the country’s adoption system to ensure more vulnerable youngsters enjoy the benefits of a stable home life.

The Bill intends to:
– Modernise the law to secure more stability and permanence in the lives of vulnerable children
– Introduce new permanence orders
– Increase children’s rights and security
– Provide better support for adopted children and families, including natural grandparents
– Allow both partners in an unmarried couple, who are in an enduring family relationship, to adopt as a couple

Education and Young People Minister Peter Peacock said:
“At a time when the number of adoptions in Scotland is falling and the number of children living in seriously chaotic households is rising, we have to secure more opportunities for youngsters to enjoy the family stability which can make all the difference to their potential.

“Too many children are limited in their chance to realise their full potential because of tragedy in their lives or because of their parents’ chaotic lifestyles or poor parenting skills. Too many of our young people find themselves shuttling between home, foster care and residential accommodation, without any of the family stability most young people enjoy.

“Our proposals are designed to put the interests of the child first. We know that the stability family adoption offers can improve future life chances and that’s why adoption will remain an option to improve children’s lives.

“No one has a right to adopt under our proposals and the selection process of who can adopt is tough. Only those couples who can demonstrate they are in an enduring family relationship and can make a positive difference to a child’s life will be successful.

“For youngsters for whom adoption is not the best option, we’re also introducing new permanence orders which will provide children with the same level of family stability that most already take for granted.

Deputy Education Minister Robert Brown said:

“Scottish society has changed dramatically in recent years – our adoption system needs to adapt too.

“Despite our desire for all children to get the best possible start in life, for some youngsters their circumstances deliver anything but. Too many children find themselves living in an unstable environment and can suffer major disadvantages throughout life as a consequence.

“Yet we know that the stability offered by adoption or long-term fostering can make a real and lasting difference. That’s why we must ensure our adoption system is modernised to meet the needs of today’s young people.” {mospagebreak}

Barbara Hudson, Scottish Director of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, said:
“This bill is hugely important and has the potential to ensure that many more children can live more stable lives. The legislation affirms the value of adoption but recognises that this is not the right plan for all children and has introduced a new concept, the “permanence order”.

“Permanence Orders will make it easier for long-term plans to be made for children. It will also mean foster carers can share some of the responsibility for day to day decisions, which will help these children feel part of their foster family.”

Margaret McKay, Chief Executive of Children 1st, said:
“Every child needs a family who will go to the wall for them and put them first. If this care cannot be provided either by a child’s own immediate or wider family, then the permanent security and commitment of a loving adoptive family is the best option for a child.”

Cathy Dewar, of Scottish Adoption, said:
“The new adoption bill provides a comprehensive overhaul of the legislation, modernising and improving the legal framework with the aim of providing security to children and young people unable to live with their birth families

“We particularly welcome the section on support for adoption. Support for adoption is for this agency the least well funded part of the adoption service. And yet it is an ever expanding area of work.

“We believe that at point of placement, adoptive parents should be provided with a written agreement on what services will be available to them and their child throughout childhood. This should be drawn up by the placing agency and should involve all relevant parties.”